


like wildfire

by dejakyu (dietsoba)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Alternate Universe - Avatar (TV) Fusion, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood and Injury, Firebending & Firebenders, M/M, MAMA Era Powers (EXO), Strangers to Lovers, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:49:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 68,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dietsoba/pseuds/dejakyu
Summary: All his life, Jongdae has been told, “A firebender who cannot bend fire isn’t much of a firebender at all.” While adept at the difficult art of lightning bending, by the age of 18 Jongdae still had yet to produce a single flame. A disgrace to his proud bending family, Jongdae is sent from his Fire Nation home to study far away in Republic City. After long given up trying, Jongdae didn’t expect to run into the one person who might help solve all his problems.





	1. Prologue - Sparks

**Author's Note:**

> **Based on prompt EF165
> 
> Special thanks to:
> 
> 1) mod a, for being so patient with me and giving me so many extensions, i owe you my life
> 
> 2) the prompter - I've loved this series for 14 years and was so excited when i saw this prompt (i'd been thinking of submitting a similar one)
> 
> 3) m and s for helping me to edit this monster, and to k and m for listening to me rant
> 
> Notes:  
> \- this takes place slightly before Legend of Korra timeline-wise and there are no canon character cameos (i did bring back airbending for my own purposes)
> 
> \- for non-fans of the series - it's still very accessible because it's character-centric, and you should be fine with a fast wiki search for the basic concepts
> 
> \- i bullshitted a lot of the science and theory, im sorry if it makes no sense

**_Past: 6 Years Old_ **

The sound of his mother’s voice, anxious and hushed, outside the door to his room pricked Jongdae’s ears. He pushed himself up on the bed, ignoring the burns on his hands and the lingering smell of smoke in his attempt to overhear. A heat-proof glove fell off the bed with a thump as he slid out from under a blanket. He froze, staring at the door in hopes no one would pay him mind, at least not before he could hear what was going on. When no one moved, he made his way around the various beeping instruments the ancient-looking robed man had brought into his room and over into the shadows behind the door.

“So, you’re telling me we were wrong?” she said. He could picture her angled brows furrowed above her amber eyes, her arms folded across her chest. She sounded different this time, not upset or disappointed, but hopeful, so he inched closer.

The voice of the old man, the one who had come with the machines and going on about chi and energies, replied, “Yes, it seems your son can bend fire like you said. The flames he produced were small and unusual, but they appeared. Why he cannot demonstrate it properly I cannot say.”

Jongdae covered his mouth to keep himself from making a sound. He was so shocked he nearly exposed himself through the sheer force of the questions he so desperately needed answers to bubbling inside him. When he was sure he could stay silent, he let go of his mouth and focused on his mother’s response.

“Is there no way to prompt him more? To make him bend normally?” His mother’s voice came quick, as did the desperation she often tried to hide. She still wasn’t content, he could tell.

“Everything is up to the bender themselves, there’s nothing I can do to force him. He has to do it himself,” the man said, as if he hadn’t just spent the past five hours putting Jongdae through all manner of suffering to force something out of him while she supervised.

His mother scoffed and Jongdae shivered–an instinctive response. He knew she was about to use her “General Kim” voice and he nearly covered his ears to avoid it. With clenched teeth she said, “And how, pray tell, am I supposed to do that?” 

“You paid me to prove he could bend, not to teach him how,” the man replied quickly, the words tumbling out.

“So, you’re just going to leave after all that I paid you?”

“There’s nothing I can do.”

“Then leave.” His mother said this with all of the command and authority she had as an esteemed military advisor to the Fire Lady, in other words, the worst “General Kim” voice of all. She stood with her back straight as an arrow, utterly intimidating despite her short stature and slim build. The man said nothing more because there was nothing more to be said after she used that tone.

He could hear the man shuffling quickly towards the door and hurried back to the bed, sliding under the covers and patting them down around himself. He winced as the small burn marks rubbed against the soft cotton. They’d be dealt with soon enough.

When the man appeared, stroking his beard with shaking hands, he noticed Jongdae watching him intently from the bed. He’d arrived to quickly for Jongdae to pretend to sleep again so he acted as if he had just woken up. The man smiled at Jongdae quickly, but it lost the warmth it had when he’d arrived that morning. Jongdae returned it anyway, knowing his mother had that kind of effect on people.

The man quickly started to assemble all of his tools and monitors, all fascinating new inventions from the city devised to monitor someone’s energies, or so he said. Jongdae supposed they must have worked but for all the pain they caused he bid them good riddance.

His mother appeared in the doorway looking at him with her eyes narrowed and her cat-like mouth turned into a frown; her thinking face. He accidentally met her eyes and saw the fire that had once been wild and frantic become something far more dangerous and determined and looked away quickly. She was plotting something, he could tell, and he wanted no part of it. He’d had enough of her “plans.”

At six years old, Jongdae had already given up on being a firebender. Everyone in his family from now to generations back were powerful benders, but not him. No matter how hard he tried, how hard he followed his brother and copied what he could, he never produced so much as a puff of smoke. His friends from school, the ones who could bend, were already secretly performing tricks while he sat with the non-benders and watched in amazement. He figured if he could bend he’d know by now. While it was a little disappointing–how could it not be–he got over it. He was fine with his songs and his music that his grandmother praised whenever he visited her. He was fine with his toys that he never seemed to get enough time to play with. He was also fine watching his brother go through bending forms and stances in awe. Jongdae was satisfied the way he was.

His mother, proud successor to a long line of Fire Nation military families dating back centuries, was never satisfied with Jongdae. Theirs was a proud family of exceptional benders and she was determined that Jongdae be one of them. The older he got, the more doctors and shaman and scientists came to visit and examine him, trying to pull something out of him, the machine man being the latest. She went so far as to hire waterbending healers, who were helpful in explaining his chi indicated he was but couldn’t give her proof. That was good enough for Jongdae, he was just glad to know figured it would work out eventually, so he smiled and thanked them. It was not good enough for his mother. 

“I know he can bend,” she snapped in the woman’s face, “I felt it just after he was born, the same as his brother. Something is wrong with my son, please use your healing magic or whatever this is,” she waved at the table covered with needles and bowls of water, “and bring his bending back.”

The two healers were some of the best waterbending healers in the Southern Water Tribe but just knowing wasn’t good enough for General Kim. Jongdae had wanted to beg her to stop berating them, they had been the kindest people who had come to look at him so far, but he couldn’t say anything out of fear. In the end, they had been forced to leave and his mother moved on to find her next “solution.”

Once the man with the machines had gone, his mother walked up to his bed and sat down on the edge. She was still wearing her military jacket from the council meeting that morning and the bags under her eyes were purple with exhaustion. “Jongdae,” she said far more cheerfully that he’d ever heard her speak to him, “you can bend. You’re a fire bender, just like everyone in our line.”

He nodded and put on a smile for her. He had no idea what she was going to say next, but he instinctively knew he wouldn’t like it. She was only like this before the sessions, to calm him and keep him from shaking with fear of what was to come. Her softness was never truly for him, because it was gone as soon as it came in the wake of her destructive frustration when things didn’t work out. Even if today did work out, there was bound to be some sort of catch.

“You should be excited Jongdae,” she said, pushing back his hair with a gentleness that unnerved him as much as the tone in her voice. He was grateful she paused after reaching for his hands, actually noticing they were covered with burns. She let her hand rest on his cheek, “You can bend just like your brother and your cousins, isn’t that great? We’ll get right to your training, it’ll be fun.”

Jongdae was a little excited even if he didn’t trust any of this, but at six years old he was bound to make mistakes. “What use is training if I can’t actually bend properly?” he asked as the thought popped into his head. He wanted to clap his hands over his mouth, but he held very still. The mask that was his mother’s face hid little of how she felt on the matter. These were his worries about the matter, and they weren’t for her to know.

She looked down and grabbed one of his hands even though she’d avoided doing so before, looking at the burns covering his palms. She traced them, causing Jongdae to wince. Tenderness didn’t run through her blood. “We’ll just have to work on that won’t we?” She looked up with a smile poorly plastered on her face. The one before was at least believable, this one was the sketch of what she figured one must look like.

“Of course, mother,” he said stiffly.

“I will call the waterbender healer next door to see to your burns,” she said, dropping his hand and standing up, “since we know you are a bender, you have a lot to learn. Since you are behind in your teachings, I will have private tutors come to teach you the forms. Perhaps we can force this fire out, hmm? Until then you will do your meditations as prescribed. Understand?”

“Yes, mother,” he replied again. She did not tolerate backtalk, and he did not do it unless he had to. His cheek knew the shape of her hand well enough for him to hold his tongue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)


	2. Book One - Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: The elements each of them bend generally reflect their MAMA powers.

**_Present: 20 Years Old_ **

“That exam was awful, why don’t they divide us all by weight class or something? No one wants to be thrown about by some earthbender who’s twice their size.” Jongdae whined as he flopped down on his dorm bed, which promptly screeched in protest to his weight. He’d shorn of most of his uniform before reaching the bed, not caring how sweaty and gross he felt; university was supposed to be an escape from his mother’s gruelling training, not a continuation of it. “I don’t even understand why wrestling is a course on the curriculum,” he muttered into the blankets.

“Obviously because it builds character,” a voice to his left drawled, “Your pain just means you have a long way to go.”

Jongdae only had enough energy to turn his head to glare at his roommate, who was looking at him over an open textbook and some new device he’d been fiddling with. Despite his irritation, he was too tired to think of an appropriate response that wouldn’t lead to a never-ending cycle of clapbacks. Instead, he went for blunt and to the point. “I learned how to fight hand-to-hand as a kid, I don’t need to do it again with guys twice my size. Besides, I think I have enough character, Baekhyun.”

“Clearly they don’t think so, and I’m sad to say I have to agree.” Baekhyun grinned at him, which only deepened Jongdae’s frown.

Why Baekhyun found his suffering amusing he couldn’t understand…or well, he could, because it had been rather hilarious when Baekhyun had returned from his infiltration exam covered in mud and dust and needed to be hosed down before he was allowed in the building; Jongdae just wasn’t above being hypocritical. “Baek, please just let me have this,” he sighed.

Baekhyun tossed his textbook aside and propped his head on his knees to stare at Jongdae. “You’re the one doing military sciences. If you’re supposed to lead or whatever after you graduate, you have to be good at what you do. I hear council meetings can get pretty heated; you need to be ready to throw hands.”

Jongdae wanted to smack the smile off of his face. In lieu of an answer, Jongdae groaned and planted his face into his pillow and waited until his body was capable of moving again, or until blessed sleep took him from his misery. He wondered what he did to deserve this kind of treatment.

Byun Baekhyun, the non-bender grandson to the founder of Byun & Co., was a chaotic whirlwind of a person who had wormed his way into Jongdae’s regimented and sheltered life as soon as he’d arrived at the university in Republic City. When they had met in their shared room that first day, Baekhyun swore he “sensed a kindred spirit” in Jongdae, but Jongdae’s pretty sure that was because he had helped Baekhyun prank the boys next door and then cackled with him afterwards. Baekhyun was often more trouble than he was worth, not half as funny as he thought he was, and he soon won his place as Jongdae’s second friend ever. It helped that he got along well with Minseok, Jongdae’s first friend ever, despite being in a different faculty from both of them.

Jongdae tried to block out Baekhyun’s amused humming and the sound of bedsprings moving while on his way to unconsciousness, but after one loud _thunk_ , his eyes opened. With his face pressed into his pillow, he couldn’t see anything, and when he managed to move to see what was going on, it was already too late.

“Oww!” Jongdae felt Baekhyun jab his fingers into his side.

“Oi, don’t sleep, we’re going out for food,” Baekhyun announced.

“Mmmmfgh just leave me here I can’t move,” Jongdae moaned before pushing himself up properly so he could look over at Baekhyun. He muttered curses under his breath to emphasize his reluctance to move.

Baekhyun, of course, ignored him and stretched like a cat before shedding his clothes and rifling through his wardrobe for more. How he fit that many clothes in there was a mystery to Jongdae. As he held up shirt after shirt, he said, “We are going out tonight, no excuses. Fuck curfew. Those exams were hard, and I want a drink and some quality city food, not the cardboard shit they give us here. I told Minseok we were going out tonight after breakfast, so we can leave when he gets here.”

“Why?” Jongdae drawled out longer than necessary. He knew he was pouting but if it helped him get what he wanted then it was fine. “Can’t we just order something? Or sleep? I’d love to sleep.”

“We can’t order in Jongdae, they won’t let the food past the door. Come onnn, I want city food and you do too. Think how much better you’ll sleep if you have food in your stomach.” Baekhyun had started prodding Jongdae with his foot, trying to thread his belt at the same time. Jongdae waved his arm to get him to stop, going so far as to grab Baekhyun’s foot and twist it so he nearly lost his balance and was forced to stop. “I will drag you if I have to,” Baekhyun said, gripping Jongdae’s bed frame to catch his balance. 

Jongdae hated to admit it but Baekhyun had a point. He was very hungry, his stomach stirring at the mention of delicious food, and the only thing as important as sleep was food, and good food was higher on his current hierarchy of needs after being thrown onto a mat for two hours. Sleep could wait until he was stuffed to the brim. “Fine, we can go.”

Baekhyun flashed him a smug smile. “Knew you’d see the light, now put on something that doesn’t stink.” With that, Baekhyun spun around and finished pulling on a deep blue jacket over a soft yellow shirt. Jongdae made a rude gesture at him that he didn’t really mean before pushing himself up on the bed and moving to get dressed himself.

Jongdae wrenched his wardrobe open and looked at his clothes. He sighed. All of the clothes he owned were made of stiff, expensive fabrics and made him look every bit the Fire Nation noble he was. He could do without any jeering about being a “soft little rich boy, far away from home” for one night, so he looked over his shoulder and said “Baek, lend me some clothes.”

“No, use your own,” Baekhyun moved away but Jongdae reached to catch him and twisted his wrist backwards. Baekhyun yelped as he was locked into a hold by Jongdae, who was maybe getting a bit of revenge on top of trying to coerce Baekhyun into sharing. He might not be able to best an earthbender who was two metres tall, but he could definitely best Baekhyun.

“You gonna share or what?” Jongdae asked sweetly.

“Fine, _fine,_ I’ll give you a shirt, figure the rest out,” Baekhyun said, straining to get free. Jongdae let him up and selected a green jacket from Baekhyun’s wardrobe. He quickly slid it over his white undershirt and pulled on his uniform boots, which looked worn enough to be acceptably inconspicuous.

“Next time go buy some normal clothes of your own, you have the cash you stupid rich boy,” Baekhyun grumbled, rubbing his shoulder as he fixed his light, sandy coloured hair in his mirror.

“Can’t. My mother only gives me bare minimum as an allowance. Besides, it’s not like you don’t have money.” Jongdae’s mother had made it explicitly clear he was here for school and school only; all of this was temporary.

Baekhyun opened his mouth to say something in response but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jongdae smiled knowing who it was and glad for the reprieve.

“Arguing again?” Minseok asked, smirking.

“No,” Jongdae said, knowing full well he was pouting and that he and Baekhyun could probably be heard in the hallway. 

“Sure, sure,” Minseok said, reaching up to fix Jongdae’s hair which was still wild from the exam. Minseok’s own red-brown hair was perfectly styled, and he was wearing a collection of expensive blues that somehow didn’t come off as aristocratic. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“We are now,” Baekhyun said, slamming his wardrobe closed and throwing Jongdae’s scarf over his head. “Let’s go!”

–

The United Republic University of Military Sciences was located next to The United Republic School for the Arts in one of the nicer, quieter areas of the city near Yue Bay. It was surrounded by large green spaces and grounds for bending practice of all elements. A small river separated the two schools, and a thick wooden fence encircled the area. The University district was beautiful, but it was also in one of the most expensive districts in town, packed full of overpriced restaurants and boutiques that only the richest of students could afford on a regular basis; it wasn’t the sort of place you hung around if you were on a budget.

Since the trio _were_ on a budget, Jongdae and Minseok followed Baekhyun into a streetcar that would take them further downtown. The car was packed with students who evidently had the same idea, but they managed to nab seats beside each other after a few stops.

Baekhyun was a self-proclaimed expert on cuisine in the city, claiming you could get the best food for your buck if you knew where to look. How a nouveau rich kid like Baekhyun learned where to get good food and drink on a dime was a mystery to Jongdae, but he wasn’t about to question it. Every placed they’d tried so far had been beyond delicious.

An hour and a half later, and a considerable amount of maneuvering through Friday night crowds, they wound up sitting at the back of what Baekhyun had claimed was the best cheap dumpling shop downtown. It didn’t take long for them to consume half their weight in dumplings and a considerable amount of beer and soju, knowing they wouldn’t have to wake up for class the next day when they faced the consequences.

At some point, Jongdae, now considerably tipsy, decided he wanted music to sing along with, so he walked over to the radio and tried to turn it on. It was an old model and, no matter how much fiddling he did with the controls, he couldn’t get it to make anything other than static. Frustrated, he took a deep calming breath and bent the energy in the air, allowing a charge to build before sending it at the radio, which promptly jumped into action. Satisfied, Jongdae sauntered back to the table to sing and start nursing another beer.

When he reached the table, humming lazily along with the music, he eventually noticed Baekhyun was no longer smiling and leaning against Minseok and instead staring at him like he had two heads, mouth open with disbelief.

“Did you just bend?” Baekhyun asked loudly, his words a little slurred and his eyes wide.

_Well shit._

Jongdae glanced at Minseok who looked equally alarmed and seemed to be sending silent requests for instruction as to how to handle this situation.

For nearly a full minute none of them said anything and the question hung heavy between them. Jongdae was far too drunk to deal with this right now but then, so was Baekhyun. Jongdae let a mischievous smile spread across his face as he sat down. “Maybe,” he said sliding his chair close to Baekhyun’s and raising his eyebrows. The music was loud enough that he wouldn’t be overheard if he spoke quietly.

Baekhyun opened his mouth, but with the way he made no sound at all, it didn’t seem like he could figure out the right words to say.

Jongdae leaned in close so he could speak right next to Baekhyun’s ear, “You’re not going to tell anyone, right?” He pulled back with an anxious smile and listened to his heart hammering in his ears as he waited for Baekhyun’s reaction. 

Baekhyun shivered and then stared with wide eyes at Jongdae as he pulled back. It was the first time Jongdae had ever seen him so utterly speechless and he couldn’t help himself, he started giggling despite his nerves. Baekhyun’s resulting frown only made him laugh harder.

Minseok still looked tense, probably because he wasn’t nearly as drunk as they were, but he let out a few laughs at Baekhyun’s expense.

“Jongdae, seriously, are you for real?” Baekhyun asked after he had found his voice and once Jongdae had collected himself. Apparently, he wasn’t going to let this go.

Jongdae wiped a tear from his eye, “Yeah, yeah, it’s true, I can bend. Just shut up for now I’ll explain later. For now, we drink.” He raised his glass of beer and took a deep sip, smacking his lips when he was done. He needed a little more to answer the questions he knew were coming.

Baekhyun’s eyes were shining with curiosity, and he’d definitely sobered up, much to Jongdae’s dismay. He didn’t ask anything else though, he just drank his soda and sang along whenever something he knew came on the radio.

Shortly after, they were unceremoniously kicked out of the restaurant for being too loud despite the good business they brought. It was probably for the best because they barely made it in time for the last car heading towards the university. They were still singing when they were getting onto the street car but stopped when they were met with several cold glares.

Once they were seated at the back of the car, Baekhyun took the opportunity to pester Jongdae about his bending the entire way. Jongdae and Minseok frantically tried to get him to quiet down and at least ask his questions quietly, but he only got louder when he learned Minseok had been in on the secret the entire time. Jongdae had to promise over and over that he would explain once they were back to get him to shut up for the rest of the ride.

The growing anxiety over being found out sobered Jongdae up, and his mind began formulating answers to any and all of Baekhyun’s potential questions, deflecting any of the ones he came up with while on the car home. 

“Are you going to tell me _now_?” Baekhyun asked as soon as they were both back in their dorm room.

Jongdae took off his jacket and hung it up, not answering the question. The spike of anxiety Baekhyun’s question had raised had Jongdae saying, “After a bath, please Baek, I promise I’ll tell you.”

Baekhyun looked a little guilty after hearing Jongdae’s tired tone within the context of their shared room and didn’t press further. Jongdae could feel the heavy weight Baekhyun’s eyes on him as he snatched his towel and knew this was the right decision in order to clear his head. He needed a bath anyway to wash off the filth from that afternoon’s wrestling and ease his sore muscles, but if it could also help him calm down that was always an added plus.

Baekhyun quietly joined him in the bath a few minutes later. Jongdae was mildly impressed that he could quell his curiosity for so long and had the tact to not say anything around the other students. Baekhyun was his friend, but he was still wary about anything Baekhyun might do with any of the information Jongdae gave him.

Bouncing on his bed, hair still wet, Baekhyun looked at him with the same shining eyes from earlier. “Come on Jongdae, answer me already, can you bend or not? This is some big shit Dae how could you not tell me. I am disgusted, I am insulted–”

“Shut up Baekhyun. I didn’t tell you because I couldn’t tell you.” Jongdae flopped down on his own bed and looked Baekhyun in the eye before turning away and picking at his blankets.

Baekhyun cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean you ‘ _couldn’t tell me_?’ That sounds like bullshit.”

Jongdae sighed and went to his desk, opened his locked bottom drawer, and pulled out his student visa and passport. His hands froze on the documents for a moment as his mind wandered to the secret reason he hadn’t confided in Baekhyun. He liked the way things were, when they were two non-benders on equal footing. Unfortunately, this was the reality he faced, he just hoped it wouldn’t damage what he had with Baekhyun after. 

He walked over to Baekhyun’s bed and held both up for him to read. Baekhyun scanned the pages looking puzzled until his eyes went wide, realizing what Jongdae was trying to say.

“These say you’re a non-bender,” Baekhyun said, looking up at Jongdae’s face, “Why would they say that if you can bend? It’s not like it’s something you can just fake…are you some kind of criminal on the run from the fire nation? Did you kill a man? Did you knock up someone important?”

Jongdae rolled his eyes and shoved Baekhyun’s shoulder, “Baekhyun, shut up I’m not a criminal, I’m a rich kid with an overprotective mother.”

“Riiight, I forgot,” Baekhyun said, scowling at Jongdae’s hand.

Jongdae sat beside Baekhyun on his bed and leaned back so he was beside Baekhyun on the covers. He curled inwards on himself. “She…wasn’t happy because of something I did a few years ago along with a lot of other things. When she shipped me here she didn’t want me bending, so she made it so if I bend and get caught I’ll be arrested,” Jongdae explained in a flat voice. He smiled a bitter smile when he finished.

“Seriously? So, this is for real?” Baekhyun said incredulously, looking from the papers to Jongdae’s face and back. He sat up on the edge of his bed and held the documents like they had suddenly gained weight.

“Yep.”

Baekhyun looked up at him with wonder, “Wow…so you’re really a firebender?”

“No, I’m not” Jongdae said firmly.

Baekhyun looked extremely puzzled now, his mouth turned down into a pout. If Jongdae wasn’t still a bit nervous, he’d have laughed.

“So, what are you?” Baekhyun whined, infuriated at how cryptic Jongdae was being, “Jongdae stop being weird, I saw you bend lightning. I’m not an idiot, everyone knows only firebenders can do that. If you don’t tell me right now I’m kicking you off this bed!”

“I’m clearly having an emotional moment here!”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t kick you off it to get what I want. Just tell me already.” 

Baekhyun’s foot was already reaching for him, and he inched out of the way. He knew Baekhyun wouldn’t hesitate. “Okay, okay, I’ll explain, don’t kick me,” Jongdae said holding out his hands as a precaution. “I am a firebender…technically. I just can’t bend fire, only lightning.” Saying it out loud always sounded so stupid, even if it didn’t feel like that when he was actually bending.

“You’re joking,” Baekhyun said still looking at him with interest, much to Jongdae’s dismay.

“Nope, I can’t make fire to save my life, not that my mother didn’t try to force it out of me my entire childhood,” he said with a bitter laugh. “It’s just this,” he moved his hands to generate a small amount of lightning that he let dissipate with a small crackle.

“This is wild, I’ve never heard of something like this. Minseok knows all of this, right? That’s what he was saying back on the streetcar.” Jongdae appreciated that Baekhyun was so invested in his lightning bending, it was nice having someone else being kind of impressed instead of giving him the odd looks he was used to at home.

“We grew up together, so of course he knows everything, for better or worse. We used to practice bending on the beach behind our houses. I learned all kinds of crazy tricks based on waterbending, and he figured out a few things based on fire.”

“Sounds nice,” Baekhyun said, though his smile was a little sad. Jongdae decided not to delve further into that.

“It was,” Jongdae said with a smile. “But Baekhyun,” he said more seriously, “you can’t tell anyone about this. I’m serious, I don’t want to get arrested nor do I want to end up stuck doing secret demonstrations and then get arrested because someone snitched. I’ll have to go back to my mother, and I very much do not want that to happen.”

Baekhyun just looked at Jongdae for a while before giving his reply. “I won’t tell a soul, I promise. I won’t judge you for it either.”

“I don’t really mind if you do, it’s not like that hasn’t happened before.”

“Ridiculous, that lightning thing is pretty awesome. I haven’t seen anyone move it around so easily like that, even in the city. Besides, we’re friends, I wouldn’t do that to you.” Baekhyun smiled. It was a real smile this time, the genuine smile he caught Baekhyun giving him once in a while.

He returned Baekhyun’s smile with his own. Jongdae was still a little uncertain about this whole arrangement, he didn’t like the idea of anyone knowing period, but his friend and roommate he could handle. He was lucky only Baekhyun had seen him bend that night, it could have been far worse. With all of that in mind he put down the rest of Baekhyun’s budding questions about lightning and fell into an uneasy sleep.

**_Past: Several Months Ago_ **

_“You’re going to study at the university in Republic City this spring,” his mother said from behind the massive desk in her office. “No arguments,” she added when Jongdae opened his mouth._

_Jongdae frowned at her, waiting for further explanation. He’d been dragged here by two servants during one of his lessons without a word. He had no idea what sort of hell to expect when he got here, but it wasn’t being sent across the ocean for school, exposed to the world she’d tried to shut him away from over the past 4 years._

_“The Southern Water Tribe Ambassador’s son is going to the University of Military Sciences there, and I thought it might be prudent that you go as well. I am aware you still see him behind my back even though I told you to stop after you nearly killed him and caused an international incident,” she paused and glared at him to see his reaction._

_He kept his face neutral, didn’t give her the satisfaction she wanted; she couldn’t force him to stay indoors all the time even if she could keep him from going to school. Before she had tacked on her second statement, Jongdae’s lips had almost twisted into a smile at the thought of going away to school with Minseok. There would be a catch, of course there would be, but on a base level this was the happiest he’d been in forever. He braced himself, looked up at his mother, and said, “I see, I’m listening.”_

_“They have an officers’ program that is of equal status to that of the university here, which is ideal for someone in your position. I’ve already sent the results from your private tutors and you’ve been accepted without question. Getting away from the country might do you some good and our reputation might remain intact.”_

_Of course, she would be worried about their reputation, she never worried about anything else. “So, you’re sending me off to Republic City after putting me on house arrest for four years? Why?” he asked. There was no way she was risking being embarrassed by her son again, she had to have some kind of game going._

_She smiled and handed him a student visa and a passport. At first, he didn’t understand what she was trying to say–they looked like normal documents–until he read the words “Non-Bender” where it asked to indicate if the person in possession of the document was a bender or not and which element they bent. It did not say “Firebender” like it should, and he looked up at her. Surely, she didn’t expect him to not bend at all during his time there. “Mother, this says I’m a non-bender.”_

_“Yes, it does,” she said simply._

_He felt hot anger bubble in his stomach. “Mother, I might bend lightning but I’m still a firebender. You spent half my childhood trying to prove I was, and the other half trying to force something out of me. You can’t just say I’m a non-bender and expect me to accept it,” he said, throwing the documents back on the desk._

_It was enough that she ridiculed and humiliated him for not being able to bend fire, that she made it known what she thought about his “unnatural” abilities with lightning, and that she continued tormenting him for a mistake he made years ago that he still felt guilty for. By submitting this, she was completely rejecting who he was; she was making it so that if he tried to bend lightning in any way, he risked being arrested and deported back home._

_“It’s this or you remain at home. Make your choice.”_

_He met her gaze. Leaving would mean that he’d be restricted but staying was a prison sentence. He didn’t like either option, but one at least allowed him the freedom to go places and meet people and that was better than staying trapped at home. “I’ll go,” he said finally, “but I will never forgive you for this.”_

_“I’m sure I’ll live. You’re dismissed. Have your things ready for next Thursday, you will be taking the train with Minseok to where the express airship to the city is docked.” She turned down to her work and left him to his own devices._

_Jongdae stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind himself. He could smell ozone as the air started to crackle. He took a deep breath through his nose and walked down the hall and over to his room on the other side of the house. This was for the best, he’d be free of his mother and her oppressive rule. He’d miss his brother and the servants who were kind to him, but he was going mad staying in this prison of a home. He couldn’t wait to speak with Minseok, the only person keeping him truly sane in this place. The fact that he forgave Jongdae for nearly killing him was something he was eternally grateful for._

_“Minseok!” he called, running towards the beach behind their manors, where he could see a large wall of ice moving._

_The wall collapsed back into seawater. “Jongdae?” Minseok called, looking around._

_Jongdae hurtled right into his friend, knocking him over until they were both sprawled in the sand. He still didn’t let go despite Minseok’s yelps and struggles. “Jongdae let me go, what are you doing?!”_

_“We’re going to school together!” Jongdae said while trying to catch his breath, finally sitting back and looking at Minseok who still looked confused and a little annoyed. “In Republic City!” Jongdae added with a grin._

_Realization dawned on Minseok’s face. “Ahhh, university, right?”_

_“Yeah, my mother just told me.”_

_Minseok finally returned Jongdae’s grin, “That’s amazing, I thought she’d never let you out of that house and I’d have to break you out myself.”_

_“My hero,” Jongdae said with an exaggerated sigh, hugging him again._

_“Hey, get off, get off!” he shouted until Jongdae let go, though he was still smiling when he asked, “So we’re both taking the same ship?”_

_“Yep, I’m leaving with you. This is the best thing to happen in…I don’t know how long.”_

_Minseok’s brows furrowed in thought and he looked at Jongdae carefully, “Your mother would never let you out of the house, let alone the country, just like that. What did you have to do to get her to agree to this?”_

_Jongdae’s expression soured. As elated as he was about the opportunity to get out of this place, and have Minseok come with him, the conditions she’s set left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. At Minseok’s prompting, he finally explained about the papers and not being able to bend while away at school. He watched as Minseok’s eyes narrowed in anger once he was done explaining. His anger made Jongdae’s own feel valid, though he knew there wasn’t much he could do about it; this was his best way out of this place._

_Minseok put a hand on Jongdae’s shoulder and said, “You don’t have to do this you know; we might be able to convince her otherwise. I can even see if my father will put in a good word.”_

_“Honestly,” Jongdae said wearily, “I just want to get out of this place. You don’t have to go through all that trouble, we’ll figure out something when we get there.”_

_“If you say so,” Minseok said, standing up. He looked back up at their houses. “Come over to my house for dinner, your maid is right there, and she can tell your mother.”_

_Jongdae let Minseok pull him up, wobbling a little until he had his balance back. “Thanks.”_

_“For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re coming with me. I was afraid to go alone.” Minseok told him, not letting go of his hand and instead holding it firm, as if he could transmit his feelings through it._

_Jongdae squeezed back. “I’m glad you’re the one I’m going with.”_

_“I’m starting to get excited,” Minseok laughed._

_Jongdae smiled up at him as he followed him up the path. “Me too,” he said. He truly meant it, he wanted nothing more than to leave this sweltering country and start anew in some place where he wasn’t already a pariah, somewhere he could just be himself even if it was a version of him that couldn’t bend._

**_Present: 20 Years Old_ **

“Whatcha doing, Sparky?” A voice asked, far too close to his ear.

Jongdae dropped his screwdriver and turned to face Baekhyun, who had already jumped back to avoid the oncoming shock. “I thought I told you not to call me that. Ever.”

“What can I say, it’s a pretty apt nickname if you ask me. I could always call you Dae Dae if you want,” Baekhyun said, trying not to laugh.

Jongdae just rolled his eyes and went back to trying to figure out how to make his tracker device more powerful, working out the currents as he understood them through bending. It wasn’t really working because the principles were all different, and he was knee deep in textbooks for a major he wasn’t even taking, but it was still a lot more fun than endless politics and military tactics.

“Ugh you’re no fun. Jongdae let’s _do_ something, I’m bored.”

Jongdae didn’t look up. “You could do your homework for once.”

“Nah, I already know how to get in and out of places without being seen or heard,” Baekhyun said lazily, as if that wasn’t a concerning thing to say. “Come onnnn let’s gooooo,” he whined, draping himself over Jongdae’s shoulders despite the risk.

“Fuck off Baek, you know what I’m working on. Do you want me to shock you again?”

“Well, your shocks are very _stimulating_ ,” Baekhyun said with a grin. “You should look into the benefits of electricity in medicine, could be interesting.” Jongdae knew very well that Baekhyun hated being shocked more than anything, even if what he said was true.

“I told you, I might get disinherited if I do anything other than be in the military. At least if I get into engineering I can still work for the military and there’s a chance I won’t be written out of the will,” he gestured down at the electrical circuit he was fiddling with as part of his attempt to catch up to the engineering program curriculum.

Baekhyun moved backwards to his bed, his silk coat crumpling around him. “You and I both know that’s not true, but worry not, my family’s company will definitely employ you when she kicks you out for good. Your fancy devices have to be good for something and this way you can make money off of them once you’re free.”

“Ha,” Jongdae laughed, “as if. I’m going into a military career, or she’ll drag me there herself. She has too much power and old money.”

“But I have new money, I could just buy you.” 

Jongdae gave him a look. “She bribed the dean Baekhyun, I can’t even fail my way out.”

“Okay fine, I’ll drop it. I’m just saying that those things you’re making would be really useful in detective and surveillance work. So many of the methods they’re teaching us are outdated as fuck.”

“So, what exactly did you want Baekhyun?”

“Oh right,” Baekhyun said as if he had forgotten, “I was going to ask you if you wanted to come to the festival at the arts university next door. I’m tired of listening to the eggheads ramble, and it’ll be more interesting than the muscle heads here, even if they don’t have as many nice…muscles…What I’m trying to say is they have better food and prettier displays so get off your ass, so we can eat something cheap and delicious _with_ entertainment.”

Jongdae didn’t need to be told twice when food was involved. “Why didn’t you start with that?”

“I needed to bemoan the fact that we go to a school with all the physique but little of the art first. The people in my department are fun, but their whole display for the festival is some kind of huge game, and I’m tired and hungry.”

“Fair enough,” Jongdae said, “But don’t think I don’t know you were just trying to annoy me too.” 

Baekhyun only laughed and headed for the door. Jongdae pulled on a red coat and followed him out the door and down to where Minseok was already waiting. Apparently, this had been planned from the start. He should have known.

They walked over the bridge of the river that ran between campuses. Everything had been decorated with streamers and lanterns that were lit with coloured flames even though it was still early afternoon. Ice sculptures had been constructed for the occasion and he supposed someone was around to maintain them because they weren’t melting on this unusually warm spring day.

Once inside the grounds, they were met with absolute chaos. There was colour everywhere from the decorations hanging from the buildings, to the costumes of the performers, to the various food stalls and booths–it was incredibly busy and not at all as austere as the festival next door. All three of them grinned at the sight and argued about where to go first. Food became the first priority, so they simply decided to go to the stalls each of them wanted respectively in an order determined by rock, paper, scissors. They ate while watching a trio of airbenders whirl around the open space, dangling ribbons from their arms and legs that flowed around them in circles. They moved in a way that made it look as if gravity didn’t exist and made for excellent entertainment as they made their way forward.

Further along, there were bending demonstrations being put on by the archaeology and bending arts departments, showing old forms once lost and new developed ones based on said ancient forms. The production was artfully done and set to pounding drums much like those the sun warriors were said to use. The effect was something of a bending demonstration combined with a dance to the beat of the drums, made up of forms from all different eras with emphasis on form and art.

The earthbender, who Jongdae had seen going back and forth between the schools on occasion as a double major student, was spectacular. He was very disciplined and refined and somehow managed to combine the natural movements of the earth with modern metalbending in a way that was both smooth and powerful. He blended the two together as they should be in nature with each extension of his arms and change of stance. It was nothing like the rigid forms he’d been forced to memorize all his life, forms of the sort he knew existed in all bending discipline. This, Jongdae decided, was how bending was supposed to be.

Jongdae couldn’t help but feel a little envious. Being able to bend freely like that, flowing through forms for the art of it, was something he missed. He couldn’t go to the beach and play with lightning and bending forms here. He looked over and saw the awe on Baekhyun’s face. Baekhyun couldn’t bend at all, but he didn’t let that stop him. He was a force in his own right with enough personality and wit to do more than just get by. Jongdae hadn’t met many non-benders while living at home, the servants of the house consisting primarily of firebenders. Baekhyun was the first he was Baekhyun close to in any way, and he was right when he thought he’d be fine just moving on without worrying about it. He didn’t seem envious, just entertained by the display.

Baekhyun nudged him. 

“What?” he said, scowling.

“It felt like you were being self-deprecating again, stop. Just eat your street meat and enjoy.”

Jongdae shook his head. He thought he was over his envy, but it was so deep seated that it was hard to shake off even now. “Shut up, I’m fine,” he mumbled, taking a large bite of his meat.

Movement on the stage drew his attention. The earthbender was gone, and a tall student with obviously dyed bright red hair walked onto the stage. He was wearing a comfortable yet somehow formal red outfit that looked like it came from half a century ago. He took only a few steps to get to the middle of the stage and did a traditional Fire Nation bow to the audience. When he looked up, Jongdae saw his face and did a double-take. The firebender was not only very tall, he was also _very attractive_ in a way that was somehow both cute and hot at the same time. He had endearingly big ears, a shy, but determined smile, and big, expressive eyes. It was also pretty clear he was built from the bulging arm muscles made visible by his sleeveless tunic and the way his tunic stretched tight across his chest. Boy was he glad Baekhyun was wrong about the muscles. In essence, he had Jongdae’s undivided attention even before he began.

The bender readied himself using a beginning stance unfamiliar to Jongdae. He realized it made more sense if one wanted to use their chakra more efficiently from the start. He assumed it was an older form and wondered why it had lost popularity. That thought was only at the back of his mind, while the way the bender’s muscles flexed just before he began to move to the quick beat of the drums drew his eye first and foremost.

When he slid into his next forms, Jongdae noticed he was lacking the grace of a true master, but all of the key points were there. None of that mattered though, what he was doing was a different kind of art, and it took Jongdae’s breath away. His flames had depth and emotion to them that could only come from understanding the energy. He followed the song in a way that wasn’t quite dance so much as a visual representation of the music. The flames that swirled around him as created a fantastical whirlwind of flame flickered in an impossible array of colours. Only meticulous control of the heat would allow such a wondrous display that he kept up throughout his display. He let flames of red and orange come in wide sweeps from his legs, puffs of blue and green from his hands. It was unlike anything Jongdae had ever seen, so natural, like breathing. It was more impressive than the earthbending in his eyes, and it reminded him of his own lightning bending, an extension of the self-made visible. He only wished he could bend like that, that he could have figured out how to do it like that himself.

Jongdae didn’t miss the look of concentration on the bender’s face whenever he did something particularly difficult or had to avoid hitting the crowd with flames. He also didn’t miss the unbridled joy he showed the rest of the time. He clearly loved this, and it did something to Jongdae’s heart. The gleaming muscles and handsome profile also had a profound effect on him that he couldn’t quite ignore, as much as he tried.

Once the display was over, the firebender started speaking, describing how what he had demonstrated was based on ancient scrolls he had been able to copy from his time with the sun warriors. Or at least, that’s what Jongdae thought he was talking about. He was in part lost in thought and in part just simply staring at the firebender, enjoying the sound of his shockingly deep voice.

Jongdae jumped when Baekhyun nudged him in the side, a wide smirk spread across his face. “What?” Jongdae asked defensively. He could feel his traitorous cheeks growing hot and he turned away, knowing _exactly_ what Baekhyun was trying to hint at. It wasn’t his fault he reacted like any normal person would in the face of someone who went around looking like that.

“Nothing,” Baekhyun mused, putting his hands behind his head. “You’re just staring very intently at Mr. Tall, Gangly, and Handsome up there.”

“I’m _watching the performance_ ,” Jongdae emphasized. Baekhyun only hummed in response, and Jongdae knew he wasn’t in the clear yet.

A few hours and many plates of food from all across the world later, the three of them began to make their way home. Jongdae was glad there had been no further mention of the firebender from earlier, and he hoped the subject was long forgotten. Of course, there was no way in hell that would ever happen.

“So, that firebender huh?” Baekhyun skipped in front of Jongdae to get a look at his face. Ever since he had his rather late “gay sexual awakening” as Baekhyun had called it, Baekhyun hadn’t stopped trying to hook him up with someone. It was becoming tiresome.

“Would you stop!” Jongdae said, swatting at Baekhyun. He missed by a long shot but couldn’t get any more attempts in because Minseok held him back.

“Calm down,” Minseok said, carefully letting go, “You can look for a date some other time, we have to get back soon and pretend we were at our festival.”

Baekhyun started cracking up, and Jongdae gave Minseok a betrayed look before leaving them both behind. He had already tried to explain why he was so focused on the presentation, but there was no point. It didn’t help that the firebender _was_ good looking and Jongdae _was_ interested for both of the reasons implied. He just wanted to ask about his bending, too. It was a shame Jongdae was not coming back and definitely not going to allow Baekhyun to try and set him up with any hot firebenders.

Things went back to normal after the festival was over, and the three of them fell back into their dreary routine. The hot firebender almost forgotten as Jongdae forced himself through the officers’ course with Minseok, who was definitely the better student of the two. He was sick and tired of doing something he hated among people who looked down on him as a non-bender and wanted nothing more than to switch out and do something he actually liked. There was only so much consolation his friends could give him before his mood started to take a downturn.

–

“Oops,” the waterbender, a senior in his department, said with derision after sweeping Jongdae into a fountain in one of the school courtyards. All Jongdae had done was disrupt the bender’s concentration with a harmless comment about his foot placement while he was practicing. Having seen Minseok try the same move countless times, Jongdae thought he would offer the tip. Apparently, any constructive criticism was met with a watery fate.

“Seriously?” Jongdae asked, spluttering.

“I don’t appreciate it when people who can’t possibly understand the art of bending interrupt my training. It’s bad enough we’re all in the same courses when you non-bender sorts clearly have different talents. I don’t know who you are but have a little forethought before commenting on someone’s bending.” The waterbender was looking down her nose at him as if he wasn’t worth the words she was speaking to him.

Jongdae watched as she walked away before he could get a word in edgewise. He was left alone to climb out of the fountain, his uniform sopping wet. “You could have just splashed me. You didn’t need to throw me in the fountain,” Jongdae muttered. He started squeezing as much water out of his clothes as he could, but it would be a long time before he was dry again.

He was so tired of the way many of the bender students treated the non-bender ones in this program. It wasn’t as if they were totally incapable; some of his classmates could best just about anyone with martial arts alone. This wasn’t even the first time he tried to be helpful and ended up miserable as a result. This was exactly why there were anti-bending sentiments floating around the city; the whispers could be heard on the streets and amidst the non-bending students. 

The irony of his situation–being a skilled bender stuck masquerading as a non-bender–only made things more frustrating. He could shock someone in a second if he wanted to, if he wasn’t bound by the law. He was neither one of them nor a non-bender and living somewhere between them both was exhausting. He didn’t feel like himself.

Jongdae quickly looked around the calm courtyard with its shaded pathways. No one was there. He took a deep breath and found his calm. He took a stance and pictured the pathways and the flow of energy as he broke apart positive and negative energies to create lightning. He created long stripes that he played with until he allowed them to return to the ground with a crack. He took a deep, shaky breath. Reminding himself he could still do this was reassuring; he felt grounded, and more like himself, when he bent.

When Jongdae turned around to walk back to the dorms and get himself dried off, he saw something that made him freeze in his tracks. A tall figure was standing under a nearby archway, partially hidden in the shadows, looking at him with wide eyes. Jongdae’s mind flew into a panic. He had been _seen_ bending lightning in a way that was definitely not common by someone he didn’t even know.

The figure seemed vaguely familiar, but Jongdae couldn’t place where he’d seen them before. He was caught between trying to pass his display off as nothing–which it clearly was not judging by the astonished look on the guy’s face–and threatening him into silence. Threatening him really wasn’t his style, it was more of his mother’s, but it wasn’t beyond what he was capable of even if he would prefer not to. Unfortunately, sometimes the situation called.

“You,” he began, trying to keep his voice steady, “what are you doing here?” He regretted taking this route almost immediately. The person before him was over six feet tall and broad shouldered, and Jongdae was about as intimidating as a fly in his non-bender colours. He could see firebender colours on the guy’s uniform to make matters even worse. It didn’t matter that it was from the arts school, he could still best Jongdae if he wanted.

“I had to show a few things to the bending instructors and give them some documents,” the other man answered easily in a deep voice, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. The man’s face was still shaded by the covered walkway, so Jongdae couldn’t make out much more than that.

“The offices are on the other side of the school,” Jongdae said flatly.

“This courtyard is really nice, and I wanted to walk through it on my way back…” He made a half-hearted gesture at the fall foliage and leaping fountains around them. “Am I not allowed to be here? I thought everywhere on campus was free game so long as it was before curfew,” the man said defensively.

When the man stepped forward to move closer to Jongdae, he finally got a good look at his face. In addition to his wide eyes, he had a handsome yet soft face and a bad red dye job, now with obvious black roots showing. It was a face Jongdae couldn’t possibly have forgotten. Before him stood the hot fire bender from the festival, now looking at him like he was about to be reprimanded in some way. Jongdae felt heat rise to his cheeks, and his brain froze again.

“I don’t know, just…” Jongdae managed to say before he was interrupted.

“What was that lightning bending anyway? I’ve never seen anything like that, it was incredible,” the man asked, his excitement and interest blatant in the twinkle of his eyes and the upturned corners of his mouth. His expression was so open and full of genuine interest that Jongdae wanted nothing more than to show him more, but showing Baekhyun, his roommate, was one thing and showing a total stranger from a different school was another. He couldn’t afford the risk of more people knowing.

Jongdae decided to play stupid, which was hard when he was busy looking at the bender’s cute dimple. “Listen, I’m a non-bender. I didn’t bend anything. It was probably a trick of the light or something.”

The tall firebender laughed, “No, you clearly did. I specialize in fire-bending forms of all kinds and, even if yours was kind of weird, it was definitely rooted in firebending.”

Jongdae’s heart sank when he remembered that the firebender studied the art of bending. Of course, he’d pick up on Jongdae’s technique if he knew what he was looking for and clearly saw everything with his own eyes.

Jongdae made a decision. He walked up closer to the other man, so he could speak more quietly. “Okay, so I might have bent it just a little, but this stays between you and me. Please, you can’t tell anyone.”

Jongdae’s heart was beating a mile a minute. It’s not that he thought the man in front of him would turn him in to the police, he just feared he might go around talking to someone who would. There were other fire nation nobles kicking around who would be happy to report that the pariah of the Fire Nation upper class society was bending when he should not have been able to in the first place. All he could do was explain and hope this man was as good as he seemed.

The other boy looked at him curiously, “Is there any particular reason why I shouldn’t? I mean, that was really cool, and the other benders would find the way you did that fascinating. I’ve never seen anyone combine lightning with other forms like that.”

Jongdae huffed and fished around in his pockets for his ID card, holding it up for the other boy to see. “It says I’m a non-bender, if I’m caught bending I go to jail. I’m not supposed to bend and shouldn’t have done that. So, can you please not tell anyone? I don’t want to be deported.” This whole business was getting a little redundant, he needed to be more careful.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” the firebender said looking between Jongdae’s ID and Jongdae himself. “If you can bend then why…?”

“It’s a long story, I’m just not allowed, okay?” Mr. Tall, Dark, and Nosy wasn’t nearly close enough to Jongdae to earn the full backstory.

He frowned, “That’s wrong, you shouldn’t have to hide it.” When he saw Jongdae’s exasperated look he added, “Okay, fine, I won’t tell…but will you show me how you did that in exchange?”

“How? I never did it in the first place. Can’t we just go our separate ways and forget this happened? I don’t want to go to jail, and I especially don’t want to go back to the Fire Nation.”

“What’s wrong with the Fire Nation–” the bender started until he caught Jongdae’s dark expression, “You know what? I think we come from very different parts of the country. I promise I won’t tell anyone…”

“Jongdae,” he supplied when he realized he was being prompted to introduce himself.

“Jongdae…I’m Chanyeol, nice to meet you,” the man– _Chanyeol_ –smiled and held out a hand.

Jongdae hesitantly took his hand and shook it, his body slowly relaxing in the presence of Chanyeol’s blinding smile; something about Chanyeol’s general energy was infectious. “Nice to meet you too,” Jongdae said, with a cautious, but warm smile of his own.

A loud clanging rang out as the clock chimed seven. “Oh fuck, I have to meet Kyungsoo for dinner. It was nice to meet you Jongdae, I always keep my promises, so you don’t have to worry about me. Show me some forms if you ever feel like letting loose a little and decide you can bend again, and I’ll return the favour if you want. I just learned a kickass way to make a flame tornado that I can show you!” He had a wide, manic grin on his face, and Jongdae pressed his lips together tightly to keep from laughing as Chanyeol nearly fell into one of the fountains as he tried to look back while running. Jongdae realized he hadn’t explained that he couldn’t firebend, but he supposed it didn’t matter. He probably wouldn’t encounter Chanyeol too much in the future anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For clarification:
> 
> Jongdae = Fire/Lightning Minseok = Water  
> Baekhyun = Non-bender Chanyeol = Fire  
> Kyungsoo = Earth Yixing = Water  
> Sehun = Air Junmyeon = Water  
> Jongin = Non-bender
> 
> (This was supposed to be bigger so for OT12 here: Yifan=air, Luhan=earth/metal, Zetao=non-bender)
> 
> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)


	3. Book Two - Redirection

_**Past:**_ ** _11 Years Old_**

_Jongdae walked into the training room to find his mother standing there in her heavy-duty training gear. Her long hair was removed from its formal top knot and braided into a bun. He could see the strong muscles in her arms and legs from her incessant need to stay in proper form. Then he noticed she was holding an ancient looking scroll as if it was the most important thing she’d ever touched, certainly with more reverence than she’d ever shown her youngest son._

_“What are you waiting for, get in here Jongdae,” his mother’s voice echoed through the room, and his heartbeat rose in his ears. There was only one reason she would appear like this: she was going to teach him herself._

_He scurried forward and gave his mother his best and most perfect bow before entering the practice area after removing his slippers._

_She dramatically unfurled the scroll she was holding. “Today you will begin learning our family’s special techniques, passed down for hundreds of years. I hope they will bring forth your fire.” There was an implied “or else” attached to her words and he tried not to flinch. “Are you ready?”_

_“Yes, mother,” he replied automatically._

_Without wasting time, she stepped into position. “I will do this three times, and then you will try. This one is called The Dragon Rises. Pay attention.”_

_Jongdae did his best to watch her every move. Copying her where he stood to get the movements down. His mother’s firebending was fierce and powerful. Every time he watched her, he understood why she was so well known both as a bender and a general. She commanded attention._

_Then it was over. “Jongdae, your turn,” she said, dusting herself off from where she had swept to the ground and sprung upwards._

_Jongdae did as he was told. By the third time he tried it, he had all of the moves more or less down. Years of being forced to learn things quickly had taught him what to pay attention to. His stances were constantly improving, yet the frown on his mother’s face only grew deeper._

_“Jongdae, you need to bend for this to work,” she said, her voice dangerously tense._

_He swallowed. “I can’t bend. You know I can’t”_

_His mother stalked towards him. He started shaking. “Don’t you dare say that, you ungrateful child.”_

_The sound of his mother’s hand hitting his face rang out through the room. Her heavy breathing followed it. She stood there, towering over him where he had fallen backwards from the force. She looked down her nose at him and fixed her amber eyes on his, the anger and frustration Jongdae found in them kept him frozen in place where he sat._

_“I have tried for years to fix you, and yet you’ve still learned nothing after all this time. Why can’t you learn one simple thing? Fire isn’t complicated, it’s in your blood. Your brother was fine, your brother is normal, I don’t know what’s wrong with you. Our family has no use for non-benders because they don’t exist in our family. Do you know why?” she sneered._

_Jongdae shook his head. He couldn’t help trembling, she’d never been this angry before._

_“They are sent away, stripped of the Kim family name,” she said, her tone as cold as ice. “I don’t want to send you away, Jongdae, you’re my son, so get up and bend fire like I instructed you too.” Her voice was hard, but he heard it waver when she said she didn’t want to send him off. It didn’t lessen the effect of her threat though._

_He felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped on him. As much as he hated his life here and as much as he wanted to leave, he didn’t want to be sent off, banished as if he was never a part of his family at all. He didn’t want any of this, but he still got up on shaky legs and went through the forms in his head. He did not look at his mother, but he could feel her eyes on him as he moved. He fell into place on the other side of the room and readied himself to go through the forms as she’d shown him._

_He did it flawlessly. Thinking about where the flame would go, trying to feel it, breathing, keeping true to the forms. There was still no fire, just as he expected, and he wilted like a leaf. For a moment he could feel_ something _, or so he thought. The air had definitely become charged with something, but it wasn’t enough. There was no way he could have miraculously bent fire after one speech, it was stupid to even think so. If anything, the fear he felt towards her made him resent firebending even more_

_His mother’s hands were on her temples, rubbing circles as she was probably thinking about what to do with her useless son. Her eyes were closed, so Jongdae was spared from her harsh gaze. After a moment’s pause, she said, “Get out.”_

_“What?” The question slipped out on accident._

_“I said get out. I don’t want to see you. Come back later, I’ll have the servants bring you supper in your rooms. Just leave.” She didn’t move, so Jongdae did. He hurried to the door of the training hall as his mother walked over to the weapons wall and picked out a heavy spear and started swinging it around. He moved even faster._

_He didn’t want to see anyone. The servants all agreed with his mother, that he was a useless son and that it was fortunate he was the second born. Others who thought this system obsolete just thought him strange and irritating due to the amount of stress he caused his mother that they had to deal with. He was completely alone. Not wanting to stay inside the manor, surrounded by things that reminded him of his failings, he looked out at the ocean and decided to head down to the beach._

_A storm rumbled on the horizon as the sun set on the other side of the sky. The air was so humid he could practically drink it he mused as he flopped down on an empty patch of sand. He watched the water crashing for a few moments until reality caught up with him and his mind went back to his mother in the training hall._

_His cheek still burned, and his muscles still ached from doing that sequence over and over again with nothing to show for it. Again, and again he was taught and failed despite doing the steps right. He was useless, the family failure. Tears stung his eyes but instead of keeping them in as he usually did, he let them fall as he sobbed into his knees._

_Rain started to hit the beach, the droplets forming little clumps of wet sand where they fell._ At least my tears will be hidden by the rain _,_ _Jongdae thought, but it was little consolation. He was just so frustrated. It was four years since they’d learned he could bend; four years since he’d last bended anything. There was no point to all of this, he was never going to get it. He wanted it to end._

_He picked up a stone just a little smaller than his palm, and another, and another, until he had as many as he could carry and walked closer to the ocean. Thunder rumbled above, and the waves crashed on the shore, white foam stark against water as dark as night. He mustered all his strength and hurled the stone into the water. “YAA!” he cried, with each stone. His tears turned from frustration to bitterness and anger._

_Jongdae’s stones mattered little in the storm, they were too small, and his voice, loud as it was, was no match for the sound of thunder and the rush of the rain. His problems might as well not exist amidst the rumbling thunder and pounding rain of the storm. His mother and her fire were nothing compared to the forces of nature assaulting the beach. It made her seem smaller, and he was grateful for that._

_He deflated, soaked to the bone. He crept up the beach to sit in the dry sand under a rocky overcut. It wasn’t cold enough for him to shiver so he didn’t feel the need to return to the manor and chose to watch the storm in silence instead._

_With a tremendous crash, lightning struck a tree just a few metres to Jongdae’s left, the flash so bright he had to wait until the spots swimming in his vision disappeared before he could see anything. Small cracking noises came from the tree before it fell into the undergrowth with a crash. The resulting fire was quickly engulfed by the rain, receding immediately._

_Immediately after the strike, Jongdae realized the air had changed. It had somehow become charged with some kind of energy. He wondered if this was like the energy he was supposed to be using when firebending, the kind teachers had so often tried to explain but he had never understood. Except this wasn’t fire, it was lightning. He wondered if that was why it felt different; he’d seldom been around lightning because it was a rarer form of firebending and usually reserved for masters, and it had never been covered in lessons. The fact that he was able to pick up on the change at all was enough to capture his interest._

_He watched the lightning strike the waves in the distance, lighting up the sky, and got an idea. He’d seen people bend lightning before. He wasn’t supposed to know how to do it because of his strict training regimen, but in his desperation to find something he could do, he paid attention to whatever he might be able to learn._

_Jongdae took a deep breath, remembering the odd feeling in the air when the lightning had struck. He had to separate something, that much he knew, something about positive and negative energies. He knew what he was about to do was incredibly stupid, and he had been warned as much several times, but he decided to go through with it anyway. He took another deep breath. If he wasn’t able to keep a calm mind, he would have been crushed under the weight of his mother’s tyranny by now. He hadn’t done years of meditation for nothing._

_Trying to keep his mind calm, he extended two fingers on each hand, trying to feel the positive and negative energies he was supposed to be separating. For some reason they came readily to him. He could_ feel _them move as he swirled his hands, the lightning forming between them. He was so shocked at the sight, the fact that he’d bended_ something, _that_ something _had been moved by his own hands, that he paused for a moment. He was only unfocused for_ _a split second, but that was enough for him to lose control. The shock went through him, and he was blown back by a small explosion._

_Jongdae sat up with a groan. He could feel a burn forming on his cheek, and he’d probably have a few bruises despite the sand. His clothes were fireproof and covered with water, and his hands had become so used to being burned it didn’t matter to him if they were or not. He got up and brushed himself off. He knew what he wanted to do._

_Time and time again he tried, unable to control anything properly. He either managed to cause an explosion, which happened whenever he got frustrated, or he generated too much lightning and had to send it immediately into the ocean. He didn’t stop though, he couldn’t. He was addicted to this special element that he could work with. He knew there was nothing better for learning than repetition, so he kept going in the rain. No one would look for him anyway._

_Spreading out his legs in a more comfortable stance that brought him closer to the ground, he readied himself for another attempt. It had been more than an hour since he began, and he was exhausted. He was determined to get this right and bend lightning properly._

_He thought about how the lightning had acted, how the electricity had flowed in a current, a “circuit,” through him with the need to go somewhere, to keep moving, to stabilize. Or so it seemed. Anything he had read on the subject was infuriatingly vague, so the only way he was going to figure this out was by doing._

_A breath, a cycle of his hands, blue white tendrils of light following his fingers in a circle. He could feel the lightning run through him, hot and quick as it moved along the path he gave it. The lightning was his now, he just had to think of what to do next. A million ideas came to mind; he wanted to stretch and bend the lightning as much as he could._

_He started with a few simple strikes of lightning, trying to make the bolts go where he directed. He then tried to manipulate the current with his arms moving in careful pathways. Once he felt a little more confident he tried out a basic firebending sequence, using lightning instead. His first try was met with an explosion, but the second went much better._

_It didn’t last long. He knew, from his growing exhaustion, that he didn’t have the physical ability to try half the things he wanted to do quite yet. The more he tried, the more he failed, his frustration only making it worse. Despite that, he knew he could work with it, and that alone gave him hope._

_Exhausted and satisfied he let out a yell and fell back onto the sand. The weight on his chest, the burden that had pinned him down ever since he was born, was starting to lift, much like the clouds that were clearing to reveal a magnificent sunset. The flashes of white-hot energy weren’t the warm, red-orange of flame but to him they meant more than anything he’d experienced in his entire life. They were proof that the truth of his ability to bend wasn’t built on a bed of lies; proof that the struggles he’d spent years enduring weren’t completely in vain. He was a true firebender, born and bred, and now he had something to show for it._

**_Present: 21 Years Old_ **

Jongdae’s hands shook as he held the heavy scroll of thick parchment, his hands gripping the ends tighter as he finished reading the cold, informal message printed in harsh, black ink. The letter had arrived that morning, after days of waiting for it with bated breath, stamped with his family crest in the official, deep red of the Fire Nation. He hoped beyond hope that the content of the letter would bring good news, but the response he found in his mother’s precise handwriting showed that, yet again, she never failed to disappoint.

Once he’d finished reading, he snapped the scroll shut and scrunched it in his hand, holding it tightly. Taking a few dazed steps forward, he started to laugh quietly to himself. His laughter grew louder, hints of breathless hysteria lacing through it, as his eyes began to sting, and his head started to hurt. He’s somehow managed to walk outside and slouched down on a bench near the mailroom, the first thing he saw that he could sit on, cradling his head in his hands. He _knew_ this was going to happen, he had expected it, but the reality of the rejection he held in his hand was a little too much.

He could hear his mother’s voice in his ear like it was yesterday. “ _Sons of the Kim family are expected to excel in the military arts, benders or not, and pledge their duty to their nation. You are to be in a position of leadership. You will not be sitting behind a desk for the rest of your future. Your request to change your major to engineering is denied. I expect you to tell the registrar that you will be re-enrolling in the military program, or I will cut off your tuition funds._ ” 

He looked down at the scroll with disgust. She hadn’t even read his letter explaining, in great detail, how he could contribute to the military as an engineer lead within the military as an engineer, certainly better than he could as a useless officer. She also clearly didn’t understand that he’d nearly failed his exams–whether that was on purpose or not she didn’t need to know–and had been given a special grant to enter the engineering program after completing a series of testing requirements after a few suggestions from his professors and the dean of engineering. No, it was not about what he wanted, it was about her expectations and the family name. That’s all that ever mattered to her.

_“I will pay your living expectations for the next month. If you do not switch by then you are on your own until you come to your senses and return to the military courses I enrolled you in or you return to continue your studies at the Royal Fire Nation University.”_

She then signed off with her title and name, no affection to be found anywhere. She was abandoning him and anything he chose to do for himself in favour of what she wanted. Because of that, he was stuck between either going back to his old major, which he hated, or getting a job to cover the living expenses his scholarships didn’t cover.

While he was doing mental math regarding his room and board, his food, and other miscellaneous goods he would need to survive he was suddenly snapped from his concentration.

“You okay,” a familiar voice called from somewhere off to his left. The depth of concern, and the warmth behind it, made Jongdae feel more at ease immediately. Jongdae looked up to see Minseok walking towards him, concern etched in the lines of his face. “You look like someone died,” he said, humour in his voice to lighten the mood.

“Only all of my hopes and dreams, but that’s fine, it’s not the first time.” Jongdae gave him a tired laugh but the helplessness in his words only made Minseok look even more concerned. He quickened his pace so that he stood before Jongdae.

Minseok looked down at the scroll in Jongdae’s hands and seemed to realize exactly what had happened. It wasn’t difficult, one glance at the seal told all. “She won’t let you do it?” he asked, putting a voice to Jongdae’s dilemma.

“Did you really think she would? Here,” he said, passing over the scroll, “read for yourself.

Minseok carefully took the scroll and began reading. Jongdae leaned back on the bench and waited. He watched Minseok look increasingly more upset the further along he got in the letter, until he looked completely disgusted. He was probably the only person who truly understood Jongdae’s family life and the position he was in.

“What are you going to do?” Minseok asked once he’d finished, handing the letter back to Jongdae.

Jongdae shrugged, “I’m not changing majors again, there’s no way, I like where I am. I’ll just have to figure out a way to make money. There should be all kinds of jobs for students around the city, I just have to ask around.”

“Are you sure that’s safe? You’re a little high profile, even if we’re far from home.”

“Sure, so long as they don’t find out who I am. It’s not like anyone will care if I’m serving food or something, it might be fun.” As soon as he said that he felt a little better, not at the idea of working, but at the idea of getting out of the bubble that was school. Besides, he had no other option. His only worry was the amount of homework his new major required.

Minseok was still looking at him sceptically, “If you say so…I have to get to the gym now, Baek might know where you can get a job if you ask him. He’s heir to a whole company after all.”

“Oh right, our ‘nouveau riche boy.’ I’ll see if he has any ideas.” Jongdae said. He watched Minseok get up from the bench, wishing he’d stay a little longer. “Have fun at the gym,” he said as Minseok looked down at him with a sympathetic expression Jongdae didn’t want to see at the moment.

“See you later,” was all Minseok said as he turned to go to the gym.

“Later,” Jongdae echoed. Minseok was long out of sight when Jongdae found the will to get up from the bench. Heading for the dorms, he tossed the letter in the trash, wishing he could burn it himself.

“I’m so tired,” Baekhyun said when Jongdae reached their room and promptly flopped onto his bed. He was sprawled out on his desk, the side of his face pressed into a book. “Do my homework for me my most wonderful and amazing friend. Please?”

“Do your own homework, Baekhyun. I have bigger problems.”

Baekhyun sat up in interest when he heard Jongdae’s tone, knowing a distraction when he heard it. “Oh? Such as?”

Knowing Baekhyun would needle him until he spilled the entire story, Jongdae explained the letter from his mother and the fact that he now needed money to stay at the school. What he didn’t expect was for Baekhyun’s reaction was far more dramatic than Minseok’s–he looked absolutely furious.

“I can’t believe she’s doing that to you, that’s insane!” Baekhyun was pacing wildly, gesturing loudly with his hands. Jongdae watched from where he sat against the wall, in parts amused and then touched that he cared so much.

“That’s how it is in my family, General Kim’s word is law. I’m used to it. What I need now is a job. You think you can help?” Jongdae asked, hoping Baekhyun might be able to give him _something_ to work with _._

“That’s just cruel. Your family is awful,” Baekhyun said, spitefully, “You deserve better.”

“I love you too Baek, but I need a job if we want to continue this circle of friendship in person.”

“Right, a job,” Baekhyun said, sitting down on his bed, obviously struggling to change gears, “…hmm, I can’t really think of anything off the top of my head. You can try looking into one of those job offices or whatever they’re called, my family sometimes hires from there.” Baekhyun clearly saw Jongdae’s expression light up when he said, “No, we’re not hiring right now, or I would have said that first.”

Baekhyun stood there chewing on his lip deep in thought for a few minutes. Jongdae was just about to open his mouth, to thank him for trying, when Baekhyun sat up abruptly, eyes sparkling, and said, “Jongdae, you can work for the power generators, it’s perfect!”

Jongdae frowned, “Power generators?”

“Yeah, they make a lot of power for the city from lightning benders who work on a first come first serve basis as needed. The generators are down by the docks on the edge of the city.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes, “Baek, how many times do I have to tell you that I legally can’t bend.”

Baekhyun waved him off. “That doesn’t matter, these people don’t care who you are so long as you can bend lightning. It’s fast and easy and something you can do for a quick buck. Come on, it’s your best option for something uncomplicated.”

“How do you even know all of this?” Jongdae asked.

“Let’s just say I know people who have had to do it before. It’s perfectly fine, you just have to show up in work clothes and not look like you’re, well, noble. Come on, I’ll help you find something to wear and you can head off tomorrow before you’re drowning in homework.” Baekhyun looked way too excited about the prospect of turning Jongdae into a factory worker, but it was a better solution than he could think of. He also just wanted to bend lightning again, and that was overriding every bit of sense he had left.

They spent the rest of the evening discussing how Jongdae would get down to the docks and into the factory as well as what to do about his papers. According to Baekhyun, they took in all sorts, criminal or not–Jongdae was also concerned as to how he knew this but again didn’t ask. They both agreed not to tell Minseok about this until he actually had the job on the grounds that he would most likely freak out if he learned their plans. By the time they went to sleep, Jongdae had an old outfit of Baekhyun’s to wear and a plan to go down to the docks.

–

Jongdae anxiously re-tied the deep red belt Baekhyun had given him from unusually diverse wardrobe. He was, thanks to Baekhyun, now dressed in what was supposedly appropriate attire for a firebender factory worker. The fabric of his white button-down shirt was coarse against his skin, and his trousers, similarly coarse, were a little too loose on his small frame without the belt. He supposed, at the very least, they were all easy to move in, and highly inconspicuous. The final result, complete with a shapeless, hooded coat, was a pretty decent disguise; people might think him strange for wearing a coat in this weather, but no one would ever confuse him for a noble. As a final touch, he had singed his clothes a bit, as if he’d damaged them while bending but didn’t have the money to replace them. 

Distracted by trying to adjust to his new wardrobe, Jongdae almost had a heart attack when the street car arrived and came close to spraying him with water from the large puddle covering the tracks. He hurriedly hopped on and dropped his change in the till before taking a seat near the back. His heart was racing as he ran through every possible scenario that might happen once he arrived at the factory.

Once he was at the docks, he pulled out the map of the city Baekhyun had given him. He wasn’t too far away, but everything in this area looked ominous in the evening light, and he didn’t want to end up somewhere he shouldn’t be; he might be living in a bubble within the university, but he was very much conscious of the potential dangers that lurked around this part of the city and would rather not encounter any of them.

He treaded carefully along the wet cobblestone until he reached a massive building of red brick, windows set high along the walls. He couldn’t mistake the place even if he tried; large cables, buzzing with energy, trailed from the city’s power lines and into connector that probably sat on the building’s roof. 

_This must be the place_ , he thought, walking towards the entrance.

Technology aside, the inside of the building was less impressive than he’d imagined, with lines of exhausted, sweaty firebenders releasing bolt after bolt of lightning into the generators. Still, Jongdae hadn’t seen much lightning bending outside practicums at the university, and he realized how little was understood of the bending practice in general. None of the people here were bending to their full capacity, some of them were even doing it so dangerously it might permanently damage their hearts or cause an explosion at any moment. It was awful to watch.

“What are you doing here?” A tall, middle-aged man with an impressive moustache asked, startling Jongdae from his thoughts. 

“I’m, uh, here for a job,” he said with a smile. “I can bend lightning.”

“Of course you can, or you wouldn’t be here. Papers?”

Jongdae handed over his papers and waited for the inevitable questions.

The foreman was watching him with wide eyes and many of the workers had stopped to take off the glasses they had been wearing to shield their eyes from the light to look at him.

Jongdae shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do or say.

“How did you learn to hold it in like that, and let it go without a bloody racket?” the foreman asked, looking at Jongdae from head to toe, obviously impressed.

“I had a lot of free time to practice,” Jongdae said with a smile and a shrug, trying very hard to listen to what Baekhyun had told him and act casually. Besides, it wasn’t as if what he said wasn’t true; there wasn’t much to do around his childhood home outside of his lessons aside from practicing lightning bending on the beach.

The foreman looked down at Jongdae’s papers, which were still in his hand, and then back at Jongdae. He closed his eyes and rubbed a hand down his face. “Look kid, I really shouldn’t let you work here. I don’t know what they told you about getting jobs at the generators, but even if we do take all kinds, we have regulations to follow. I can’t go around harboring illegal benders; the government has been cracking down lately.”

“Please, I need the cash. My mother’s gone, and no one else will take me.” Lies, but with just enough truth that he could make them work.

The foreman stared at him from under furrowed brows. “Alright, I’ll cut you a deal. Show me what you can do with one of our generators. You’re going to have to spend long hours bending over and over into one, it’s gruelling work. Most newbies either don’t meet quotas, tire out too quickly, or just up and leave without pay. You last this shift and pull your weight? You’re hired. We’re down a few workers this week.”

Jongdae tried not to let his excitement show. He was well used to bending for hours and hours on end. He began his work eagerly, working more efficiently and with greater power than those around him. The voltmeter was giving consistently high readings as he poured power into the generator. It was easy enough that he could watch the other workers through his shoddy pair of glasses at the same time.

None of the other workers had any sort of finesse to their bending. With a few exceptions, most of them bent like complete beginners, with some looking as if they were constantly afraid that the lightning would backfire and hurt them instead. Those ones had a number of visible burn scars, so Jongdae assumed their fears were grounded. It occurred to him that, just as it was in the Fire Nation, lightning bending wasn’t something often taught properly here.

**_Past: 11 Years Old_ **

_Jongdae planted his foot and sent a charge to the sea as he finished the sequence he’d been learning in his lessons - his version of it of course. This was the first time he’d succeeded perfectly, and he felt so proud of himself. He was making his own style of bending, one he could actually use._

_“Jongdae,” the voice of one of his maids called from the top of the steps down to the beach. She wasn’t allowed beyond the big red gates and sounded desperate for his attention. There was only one thing that had his maids using that tone._

_Jongdae quickly brushed the sand off his feet, pulled his socks on and then his boots. He hopped up the stairs to find his maid looking like she was about to cry._

_“Is everything okay,” he asked hesitantly._

_She wiped her eyes with her drooping sleeve–his mother insisted the staff dress in traditional garb even if she herself refused to wear robes unless it was necessary. “You’re late young master, and I couldn’t find you. Brush off that sand and get to the training room quickly.”_

_She didn’t need to say anything else. He knew what happened to the servants who disobeyed, and he wasn’t about to be the reason for another stupid punishment. Besides, he had a reason to hurry to his lessons now that he finally perfected his forms…more or less._

_“Where were you?” His teacher asked, his voice thick and menacing. Jongdae did his best not to flinch out of habit. The man had a way of making him feel small and insignificant almost as skillfully as his mother._

_Today, Jongdae wasn’t going to be cowed. He had finally taken the initiative to learn something on his own, like his teachers were constantly pestering him to do. Of course, he was well aware they were referring to miraculously discovering a way to firebend, but lightning was also called “cold fire,” so he figured he’d done his homework properly this time. He looked his teacher in the eye and said, “I was practicing, Master Shu.”_

_If the man was satisfied with his answer, he didn’t show it. “We’ll see about that,” he said skeptically, with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. “I’ll let you have at it then. Show me the fifth sequence of The Dragon Rises.”_

_The Dragon Rises was a series of firebending techniques that focused on flips and high, sweeping kicks. While he could complete the original without the flames, he’d managed to exchange the arcs of fire with ones of crackling lightning with a few tweaks to his form and was quite proud of it. He tried to calm his heart as he bowed, hand and fist over his chest. He waited for his teacher to tell him to begin, his mind calm, and focused._

_When given the word, his arms spun like clockwork, creating a stream of blue lightning that trailed after his fingers until he sent it towards the wall with a crash. Then he was off. The air smelled of ozone as he allowed charges to build and let them go with each sweep and kick of the sequence. The bright light flashed around the room, but he was too focused to catch the horrified looks on the faces of the guards, or the deep displeasure on his teacher’s._

_A scorching ball of fire shot past him, narrowly missing his face. He stopped what he was doing in shock, losing all concentration. He was immediately grabbed by hands clad in rubber, recently confirmed to resist electricity. Confused, he asked them to unhand him, but his teacher gave him a stern look, causing him to give up his struggle and go limp._

_“That was not the sequence you were instructed to perform, Jongdae. That was an insult to a great firebending tradition. We are not artists, we are soldiers, and we learn the proper forms as they have been handed down to us. Your mother has taught you as much. Don’t ever show me that nonsense again.”_

_Normally Jongdae would leave it at that, but the disgust on his master’s face hit hard. “What’s so wrong with lightning? I can’t even bend fire so there’s no point in trying. At least I can do something this way.” He tried once again to shake off the guards, but he was only eleven, and they were strong._

_“Lightning bending is not on the curriculum. You will master firebending before you can even think of bending lightning or any other advanced technique. You are not to bastardize your bending forms any further. Go to your room and reflect on your actions.” His mother’s voice rang out from the balcony that ran around the upper half of the training hall. She was looking down her nose at him, trying to make him feel small._

_He didn’t though, not while the lightning, his lightning, still thrummed through his veins. Even if none of them approved of his lightning bending, the fact that he had produced results that were far greater than any he had managed to conjure in their endless lectures, meant so much more to him. His skills were self-taught from an ability that he discovered on his own, with no connection to any of them save for the blank canvas that were the endless sequences he’d been forced to memorize. No one had any control over it, because it was his and his alone._

**_Present: 21 Years Old_ **

By the end of his shift, Jongdae was nearly spent. He could barely produce any lightning at all and was sweating buckets. He’d definitely have to wash these clothes once he got back to the dorms. He had no idea how much power he had generated over his 4 hours at the plan–the shifts were short given the nature of the work, unless you were part of a tag team or one of the regulars.

When his time was up, the foreman made his way to the generator Jongdae was working at to check Jongdae’s quotas. His face remained expressionless, so Jongdae had no idea what to expect. Without saying anything, the foreman checked a few of the gauges on the generator and made a few notes on a pad of paper he pulled from his pocket. He then made his way to Jongdae, reached into the pocket on his large rubber apron, and pulled out Jongdae’s papers.

Jongdae held his breath, fearing the worst.

The foreman held out the papers for Jongdae to take but pulled them away just before Jongdae could grasp them. Jongdae’s heart sank as he began to assume the worst, until the foreman started laughing at the expression on Jongdae’s face, his eyes crinkling.

“Son, you’ve managed to produce double what most of the men who come in here have to offer.” He crossed his arms, “I don’t care what your papers say, with all these immigrants moving into the city we need all the people we can get, and you’re as good as two, maybe even more once you’re used to the work. You’re on every Tuesday and Thursday at the same time. If you want to come more you can, but I can’t promise I’ll have a spot.

Jongdae couldn’t keep from beaming. “Thank you!”

“Excellent, now get out of my factory, people have work to do.” He shooed Jongdae out the door, telling him to ask the clerk for his pay. He was to get pay and a half for his extra work which was far better than he’d expected.

With the money carefully hidden in the inner pocket of his coat, Jongdae practically skipped to the station to wait for the next street car. His bending had never been useful before, and now he was getting paid extra for it. He felt valid, and it felt pretty damn good. He sang some song he had heard playing over the radio at the factory, and even bent down to pet a fluffy black cat that had been eyeing him with interest.

A loud bang came from one of the nearby alleyways, startling the cat away and causing Jongdae’s heart to beat more quickly. Jongdae was suddenly reminded of where he was. He couldn’t afford to be careless in one of the most dangerous districts in the city.

It was much darker than it had been earlier, and there weren’t many streetlights in this part of town. The darkness felt heavy and oppressive, pressing inwards the further he went. The trip back to the station seemed far longer than it had been when he arrived, and the longer it took the jumpier he got. He wished he could return to the bubbly state he’d been in before.

“Hey!” a deep voice called from somewhere behind him. 

Jongdae froze, he hadn’t even heard anyone approaching. His immediate reaction was to prepare himself, so he could bend, but he caught himself in time–he couldn’t end up in the hands of the police for attacking someone with lightning. Worst case scenario he could either fight and probably lose, or just hand over his money and be done with it. He hoped it was nothing worse than that.

He spun around only to see a boy, a _familiar_ boy, around his age with long legs and a mop of red hair. It was Chanyeol, the firebender from the other school. _Why is he here?_ Jongdae thought, stunned.

“It is you!” Chanyeol exclaimed with a bright voice, walking towards him as if they weren’t in some dark street by the docks, far from the universities. “Jongdae right?” he asked once he was closer.

“Yeah,” Jongdae said slowly, giving Chanyeol a sceptical look that he seemed oblivious to. They had met all of one time and he was acting awfully familiar. Jongdae hadn’t been particularly friendly the last time they’d met, but everything from Chanyeol’s face to his stance were open and unguarded. It was weird.

Chanyeol sighed with obvious relief. “Thank god, I was worried for a second I had the wrong person and it was some stranger and I’d end up knifed on the side of the road.”

This whole situation was so absurd that Jongdae burst out into laughter. Sure, Jongdae had been scared just now, but at least he didn’t call out to random strangers on the off chance they were someone he’d met.

“Don’t laugh, it’s a valid concern in these parts!”

Jongdae tried to stop laughing, but the frown on Chanyeol’s face made him crack up even more. Chanyeol pouted, and Jongdae finally managed to stifle his laughter. “I’m sorry, you’re right. I was just about ready to punch you in the gut when you called my name.”

Chanyeol looked between the size of Jongdae’s fist and his own stomach and raised one eyebrow. It was Jongdae’s turn to be laughed at this time. Jongdae huffed, “We can’t all be stupidly tall.”

“No, that privilege is reserved for the select few.” Chanyeol said with a huge smirk. “Anyway,” he continued before Jongdae could say anything in response, “what are you doing all the way out here so late?” He cocked his head to the side as he waited for an answer.

Chanyeol’s expression was open, full of honest curiosity. Jongdae considered what would happen if he told the truth and explained why he was really here. Chanyeol already knew his secret, and he didn’t have much else to hide. His only other secret was coming down here, and since they were both here, that secret was pretty much blown out the window.

“Was it the power plants?” Chanyeol asked before Jongdae got the chance to say anything.

“Yeah, actually, how–?”

“–did I know? Why else would a lightning bender be down at the docks, looking like someone who should be down at the docks? It’s a quick way to get cash,” Chanyeol said, looking Jongdae up and down. He was still wearing his coarse work clothes which were now sweaty and gross. “I didn’t peg you as someone short for cash though, not with the boots you were wearing when we met.”

How Chanyeol even remembered that Jongdae had no idea, he was more occupied with how easily Chanyeol was able to figure all of that out from what little info Jongdae had provided himself. At this point, he figured there was no point in hiding anything now.

“You’re right, I’m here for cash. I have to pay for my tuition and living expenses now, and I needed a job fast.” Jongdae unconsciously looked over in the direction of the glowing plant.

Chanyeol followed his line of sight for a moment before saying, “I thought you weren’t allowed to firebend?” When Jongdae looked at him, he looked deeply puzzled.

Jongdae sighed, “I’m not, but I needed the cash, and no one is going to expect a posh university student who can’t bend to be generating power in this part of the city.”

“That is a good point,” Chanyeol said, nodding along. “I won’t ask more than that so please stop making that face.”

“What face?”

“You look like the world is about to end. I’m not going to tell anyone, nor do I even have a reason to tell anyone. You seem like a decent guy.” 

Chanyeol’s smile was soft and warm and Jongdae wanted to trust him, had already decided he would trust him. Still, Jongdae gave him a look considering how prickly he’d been when they’d met.

“Really, you do! You have a good reputation at school,” Chanyeol smiled, then his eyes went wide, and he clamped his mouth shut.

“My reputation?”

“I might have asked around,” Chanyeol said sheepishly. “A lot of people vouch for you.”

Jongdae blushed a little, he didn’t expect that since he wasn’t exactly a social butterfly. He coughed, “Okay, you seem pretty decent as well.”

“Thank god.” Chanyeol’s shoulders relaxed.

Jongdae looked at his timepiece. “Shit, we’re going to miss the car.”

Chanyeol’s eyes went wide, and he grabbed Jongdae’s hand, dragging him to the stop. His legs were so long Jongdae had to run even faster just to keep up. They made it just in time, chests heaving. They couldn’t even speak to the driver and simply paid the toll and fell down near the back of the street car.

“So,” Jongdae huffed once he could make noise, “you never said why you were down by the docks.”

Surprise dawned on Chanyeol’s face and his hand reached up to rub the back of his head. “You’re right, I didn’t. Sorry man, I should have explained, would have been way less weird.”

“I’m pretty sure it still would have been weird,” Jongdae said.

“No, definitely not,” Chanyeol said, agreeing with himself. “Okay, so, the reason I was down there was because Kyungsoo and I are teaching young benders at a small school for cash. We’re scholarship students so we’re not exactly rolling in cash like some people.”

Jongdae frowned.

Chanyeol waved his hands frantically, “I’m not talking about you, you’re breaking the law to make some cash for school. That’s not even the point, the point is I work down by the docks too, but I had to leave a little early because of this.”

Chanyeol held up his arm and pulled back the sleeve, revealing a muscled forearm threaded with veins. That aside, Chanyeol’s arm had a pretty nasty burn marring the skin on the underside of his arms. Jongdae’s eyes went wide with concern, reaching for Chanyeol. “Y–”

“Shhh! Calm down,” Chanyeol said, keeping Jongdae from grabbing at his arm. “I’ve burned myself far worse than this. Our resident healer was sick today, so I’m going to the school healers as soon as I get back. It’s not a big deal.” 

Hearing that, Jongdae simmered down in his seat. He wasn’t sure why he cared so much about a complete stranger but Chanyeol was the sort of person that drew you into their world, whether you wanted them to or not. Chanyeol might be nice, Jongdae was too tired and in no mood to deal with that sort of person. He could already tell Chanyeol was about as exhausting as Baekhyun. He leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes, trying to ward off conversation. Chanyeol seemed to understand because he made himself comfortable while for the long ride home as well.

Of course, the silence between them didn’t last long and they were both alert and talking not ten minutes later. Jongdae found the long ride back to the University district was much more pleasant with someone to share it with. They managed to cover more subjects than Jongdae could count from their classes to their favourite foods. He found out Chanyeol knows an incredible amount of bending history and loved archaeology more than anything. Apparently, his parents ran a delicious restaurant on their island in the Fire Nation and he _must_ visit if he was in the area.

Chanyeol didn’t mind when Jongdae didn’t offer many details about his childhood save for the basics and Minseok, and instead talked about his friends and family. He laughed when Jongdae explained his wrestling struggles and the prank he and Baekhyun played on the dean, nearly crying when Jongdae told him what Minseok did even after swearing he’d have no part in it.

The two of them got a lot of ugly looks from the other people on the streetcar, but Jongdae was just enjoying being able to talk to someone aside from Minseok and Baekhyun without having to watch his words. It was all the better that he genuinely liked talking to Chanyeol and hoped he’d have the chance to talk with him in the future. He figured that, if they both worked down by the docks, the chances of that happening were pretty high.

When he got back to his room, he immediately stripped off his dirty clothes without a second thought. He wasn’t sure if he should wear them like that for his next shift. He usually did laundry on the weekend, so he supposed he could just leave them for now.

“How did it go?” Baekhyun asked from his bed.

Jongdae jumped in surprise. Lost in thought, he hadn’t even noticed Baekhyun lying there. Collecting himself, he replied, “It was good, I made good money.” He pulled out the wad of bills and fanned them out for Baekhyun to see.

Baekhyun’s eyes went wide and then crinkled as he smiled. “Ayyyy, you got that dough.”

Jongdae laughed, “I did. Now I just have to keep doing it until I have enough to pay this school’s stupidly high tuition.”

“Sucks to be you,” Baekhyun said, “But seriously, was it okay? That area is really shady.”

“It was fine, I know how to handle myself,” Jongdae said before going to the baths.

“If you say so,” Baekhyun mumbled as if he hadn’t been up waiting to make sure Jongdae got home safely.

–

Once Jongdae collected his money from the clerk, getting more than the day before because he’d arrived earlier and put in more energy, he started walking towards the streetcar station. The dark alleys that spiderwebbed through this part of town felt less intimidating after he’d met up with Chanyeol. Part of him hoped to run into Chanyeol again, but Jongdae hardly knew anything about him or his schedule, so the chances of that happening were slim. He couldn’t help but think what a shame that was.

Pushing that out of his mind, he focused on his joy over getting off early so he could finish his homework and get to sleep at a reasonable hour. He could feel his bed calling for him already.

When Jongdae finally reached the alley that led to the station, he saw two familiar figures standing beneath the glow of a street light, bickering.

Chanyeol, with his freshly dyed hair illuminated in the glow, looked up at Jongdae and he broke into a grin. “Jongdae!” his voice boomed, loud enough for Jongdae to wince and the person beside him to flinch and give Chanyeol an absolutely scathing look.

Jongdae approached them just as another argument was about to begin. He realized with relief that Chanyeol seemed fine after his injury and was thankfully wearing fireproof clothes that day.

“Why are you yelling Chanyeol, he’s right there?” The other boy said, looking over at Jongdae who nodded in agreement.

Chanyeol frowned, “I can greet friends how I please, thank you very much Kyungsoo.”

“Yeah well please do it in ways that do not affect my hearing,” Kyungsoo said, giving Chanyeol a flat look.

The person standing beside Chanyeol–Kyungsoo–looked vaguely familiar, but Jongdae couldn’t quite place where he’s seen him before. He had short, dark hair, heavy brows, and plush lips that are currently pulled down into a frown. Next to Chanyeol, he looks pretty short but Jongdae figures most people do. His clothes are in soft moss greens – an earthbender. This is probably Kyungsoo, Jongdae guesses.

“I’m sorry about him,” the boy who was probably Kyungsoo said to Jongdae. Jongdae waves it off. He’s known Chanyeol all of 2 days and he feels like he already understands him.

Chanyeol, who had been looking between them for a moment, decided to interject before being subjected to more slander. “Kyungsoo, this is Jongdae. Jongdae, this is Kyungsoo, my bestest friend even if he tells you otherwise.”

Kyungsoo pinched him and then stuck out a hand to Jongdae. “Nice to meet you,” he said with a soft smile that made Jongdae melt. He was relieved Kyungsoo had a soft side to him after his rather intimidating glare.

“Same to you,” Jongdae said, grabbing his hand in a firm handshake and offering a smile of his own

A chill September gust blew in from the ocean, and they all shivered. Jongdae’s body had long cooled down from all of the energy he spent producing electricity, and his still sweat-damp clothes were growing cold. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo’s shivers indicted they were in the same situation.

“Let’s find somewhere nicer to talk,” Chanyeol said brightly, wrapping an arm around each of them and dragging them along the road. Kyungsoo tried to throw off Chanyeol’s arm but Chanyeol only pulled him in tighter until he was forced to submit or fall over in his struggle.

Jongdae tried to straighten under Chanyeol’s weight, it was difficult, but once he’d managed he was finally able to ask, “What do you mean?”

Chanyeol pulled them in even closer, enough that they were in danger from toppling over, “We all just got paid, we’re going for food.” He grinned and let them go. Both stumbled and Jongdae saw Kyungsoo’s mouth open to object just as he opened his own. “No objections.” Chanyeol announced, walking ahead.

Kyungsoo gave him a helpless sort of look which Jongdae took to mean, “There is no stopping him now, I have tried everything in my power before and yes we have to just deal with it.” The way he managed to convey that with one look impressed Jongdae.

The three of them climbed into the next streetcar that headed downtown and argued about which restaurant to go to until Chanyeol grabbed both of their arms and dragged them to a familiar, cheap noodle house. Jongdae had been there before with Baekhyun and they made some of the best noodles in the city. Jongdae was glad Chanyeol had taste because neither he nor Kyungsoo had been able to get a word in edgewise as they rushed through the crowds

The first time Jongdae found himself able to speak was when they were finally ordering their meals. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until just then and wound up ordering far more than he should have on his current budget. He didn’t want to think about having to reorganize his funds for the week, but he figured this was a special occasion. He just had to make sure going out for expensive meals after work wasn’t going to be a routine thing.

“What’s on your mind?” Chanyeol asked after he too had ordered half the menu.

“Money.” Jongdae said sullenly. Chanyeol nodded in understanding, patting Jongdae’s arm in sympathy.

Kyungsoo looked up from the table and looked at Jongdae curiously. “So why is a Fire Nation noble working down at the docks?” he asked before taking a long sip of tea.

Jongdae shrugged, “Mom cut me off and I need to make money somehow.”

“The only thing down there are the power plants,” Kyungsoo said, taking another sip of his tea.

Jongdae was beginning to sweat. He had no idea what Kyungsoo was getting at. He hadn’t said anything to give himself away, had he? Had Chanyeol? Jongdae looked over at Chanyeol, who was fiddling with the teapot. He wasn’t providing any commentary. Jongdae was left thinking Kyungsoo was just really good at guessing. Still, he had to figure out how to answer this.

“Can I tell you somewhere less crowded?” Jongdae asked, looking around at all of the people who could potentially overhear

Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes. “Okay,” he said slowly, suspicious. Jongdae was fairly certain Chanyeol hadn’t told him anything by now as Chanyeol was looking at Jongdae like he’d made the right decision to keep his secret safe.

A vacant booth at the back of the restaurant crammed between two walls had just emptied and Jongdae rushed to claim it. When they were all settled, far from the ears of others and further muffled by the loud music filtering through the radio, Jongdae felt ready to talk. “Can you keep a secret?” he asked Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo smiled at Jongdae’s hesitant tone, “Of course.”

“Long story short, I _am_ a Fire Nation noble working at a power generator because I can bend lightning and need cash. I need cash because I switched majors and my mother cut me off. It’s a secret because on paper I’m not a bender, my mother decided to do that as punishment for something I did and because she hates the fact that I can bend lightning but not fire, unlike the rest of our esteemed bloodline that she is obsessed about.” Jongdae took a deep breath. Saying it all at once felt freeing. Then he looked at the two of them for their reactions.

Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were looking at him with varying degrees of shock and sympathy. It was Chanyeol, however, who spoke first.

“You’re a noble?!” he asked loudly.

“Shh!” Jongdae said, clamouring to cover his mouth while Kyungsoo held him still. Once he couldn’t move and agreed to shut up, Jongdae continued. “There’s still people walking around here Chanyeol!” Jongdae hissed before continuing, “I am a member of the Kim family, you know the one,” Chanyeol nodded with wide eyes, “Yeah, _that one,_ so you can understand why my family life is terrible and everyone around me was controlling as hell.”

They both let go of Chanyeol. “Dude that sucks, they’re war mongers and super right wing. How did you deal with that?”

Jongdae looked down at the table and then up at the beams of the ceiling. “Very carefully. I had my friend Minseok’s help, which kept me sane. Finding out I could actually bend something after years of nothing helped too. It gave me something productive to do between sessions of being told to firebend.”

Chanyeol nodded. “So, Kyungsoo, tell him where you’re from,” Chanyeol said to change the subject. Jongdae thought it was sweet, but it clearly gave Kyungsoo whiplash.

“I’m from Omashu,” he said automatically. “My family works for the messenger system. I got a scholarship here for my innovations in techniques to improve chi flow while firebending. My father has a bad back, so I figured out ways to move the carts with less strain. I even went into the caves with the badger moles…and never want to ever again.” Kyungsoo shuddered and Chanyeol laughed. There was probably an amusing story there. “So, that’s my story. Not nearly as dramatic,” he said, with a small smile for Jongdae.

“Please, no one needs that much drama ever. I’m just glad I’m able to be here and out of that manor.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Chanyeol said, holding up a glass of soju. Jongdae hadn’t even realized Chanyeol had both ordered and poured them alcohol. He decided not to turn down a free drink and downed his at the same time as Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

At that moment, it dawned on Jongdae who Kyungsoo was. All night he hadn’t been able to put a finger on it, especially since he barely knew Chanyeol. “You’re that earthbender from the festival!”

Kyungsoo looked a little confused, and it took a while for him to answer because suddenly they were getting a lot of food and had to arrange it all on the small table. When they all had their respective orders, he continued. “Yeah that was me, I’m surprised you remember that.”

“Why wouldn’t I? It was amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Jongdae felt like his eyes were sparkling, though Kyungsoo deserved it.

“It was nothing special. We go over a lot of bending styles in the club, and I tried mixing a few together with my own style. Usually I’m not so flashy.”

“I thought it was great.”

“He’s a great teacher too. He knows earthbending so well that he can explain it easily,” Chanyeol said. He looked so proud of his friend. The fact that his mouth was half-full of food detracted from the overall effect.

“Swallow,” Kyungsoo ordered.

“So,” Chanyeol asked, taking another bite of food and ignoring Kyungsoo’s eye roll, “What did you think of me?”

Jongdae shrugged, “Eh, you were fine?”

Chanyeol scoffed and nearly sprayed the entire table.

“Gross,” Kyungsoo and Jongdae complained.

Chanyeol wiped up whatever he could and muttered, “Sorry.”

Jongdae felt obliged to give a real answer so he did, “, it was amazing. You really get firebending. You had the essence right, even if your technique was a little sloppy.”

“Sloppy?!” Chanyeol said indignantly. His face was completely red though, and he wasn’t looking at Jongdae.

“Oh, can it Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo said, “you and I both know you’re a little sloppy. Even the kids poke fun.”

Chanyeol sulked while the other two laughed.

Just like that the rest of the meal passed by with plenty of laughter, mostly at Chanyeol’s expense, good food, and drink. Chanyeol continued to order more and more alcohol until they were all tipsy and spilling out of the restaurant. They nearly got kicked off the street car after Chanyeol decided to do one of his favourite things: serenading Kyungsoo with his own version of the old Omashu classic, _Secret Tunnel,_ at the top of his voice. Jongdae was in tears. Jongdae knew he was going to regret this in the morning, but for now he was having more fun than he’d had in weeks.

Jongdae was still humming _Secret Tunnel_ when he reached his room. He couldn’t stop smiling after all the fun he’d had that evening. He wasn’t even upset that he was filthy from the plant and smelled like ramen and alcohol.

When he opened the door a crack, he could hear hushed voices talking inside. Curious, he swung the door open wide to find Minseok and Baekhyun sitting across from each other, worried looks on their faces. When they saw him walk in their worry changed to surprise, then relief, and then anger in a matter of seconds. The fact that they did it in unison was impressive to Jongdae’s tipsy self, but the incoming barrage of questions was not. He just wanted to sleep.

“Where were you?” Baekhyun demanded, grabbing the front of his shirt. “And why do you smell like alcohol?” His voice was shaking a little, dampening Jongdae’s urge to push him away.

“I went out with a few friends after work, it’s fine,” Jongdae said, trying to sound soothing. He’s pretty sure he just ended up sounding drunker than he was. He really wished they could have this conversation sitting down.

Minseok ran a hand through his hair. “Jongdae, do you have any idea what time it is?”

“No?”

“It’s two in the morning.”

Jongdae’s jaw dropped. How had he spent over 4 hours with Kyungsoo and Chanyeol? He usually had a good grasp on time but at some point during the night he had lost track of it completely. He had the grace to look guilty for worrying them.

“So, tell us again. Where were you?” Baekhyun asked. His hands were still on Jongdae and tightened ever so slightly.

Jongdae just wanted to go to bed, but instead of saying that aloud, he answered, “I was out with two friends from the university next door. They both know I can bend lightning and saw me come from the generator plant. They’re teaching bending to kids down the road from the plant. We went out for noodles tonight. Happy now?”

Neither of them looked particularly happy and he didn’t like the looks of concern on their faces. “What is it now, I just want to go to bed?”

Minseok spoke first, “How do you even know these people are who they say they are?”

“Because you’ve seen them too,” Jongdae said, “They were in the bending performance during the festival. The small earthbender, Kyungsoo, and the tall firebender, Chanyeol.”

Minseok looked surprised and somewhat satisfied. He gave a sidelong look to Baekhyun.

“How do you even know they’ll keep everything a secret?” Baekhyun asked, still frowning.

“Because Chanyeol found out I could bend at the end of the last school year and didn’t tell a soul, even without knowing my entire life’s story.”

He’d told neither of them about that encounter, so he wasn’t surprised to see their shocked faces. They looked like they had a million other questions to ask him.

Jongdae held up a hand. “No more questions or I will vomit and make sure it gets on both of your socks. You can ask me all the questions you want later. Hell, I’ll even introduce all of you and we can all go out together. Just let me bathe and sleep in peace.”

The other two exchanged glances, and Jongdae knew this wasn’t over, but for now he didn’t care. He had a quick bath, drank as much water as he could, and fell into bed for five whole hours of sleep.

–

Two weeks later, Jongdae found himself leaving the plant much earlier than usual. He’d become more efficient at fulfilling his quotas, saving energy and time. Pay was based more on quotas than time spent working, and the less time he had to spend in that sweaty room the better.

Unfortunately, when he finally made his way to the road that he, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo took to get to the streetcar, he realized that there was still quite some time left before their lessons ended at 8:00pm. Jongdae bit his lip. He would go and meet them at the bending school they taught at–he would give anything to see Chanyeol trying to teach seven-year-olds how to firebend based on what Kyungsoo had told him–except he had no idea where it was. He was risking a lot coming down here in the first place, and he wasn’t about to tempt fate by wandering around.

With nothing better to do while he waited, Jongdae walked down to the water and sat on the edge of the pier amidst scattered stones and debris, where he could still be seen if Chanyeol or Kyungsoo came looking. Half an hour later, Jongdae could be heard all along the pier singing at the top of his voice and flinging rocks as far as he could into the sea. 

“Jongdae!” Chanyeol shouted out of nowhere.

Jongdae would have fallen onto the rocks below had Kyungsoo not bent a platform out of rock from the pier to keep Jongdae sage. 

“Whyyy?! I nearly fell in the sea! You could have just told me you were here!” Jongdae exclaimed to a smirking Kyungsoo and a doubled-over Chanyeol. Neither of them looked particularly sorry, and Jongdae was beginning to regret not going home earlier for an extra few minutes of sleep that night.

“Come on Dae, we were just joking. Plus, you should’ve seen your face.” Chanyeol said, wiping tears from his eyes. He was so sooty and sweaty from teaching that it only made his face even filthier.

Kyungsoo must have seen the murder in Jongdae’s eyes and sympathized because he jabbed Chanyeol in the side, erecting a stone wall between them when Chanyeol yelped and tried to get him back. Chanyeol stood there pouting, his fun ruined. Jongdae was satisfied.

“Are we ready to go?” Kyungsoo asked mildly.

“Sure,” Jongdae said, dusting himself off. He glanced over to Chanyeol who was still pouting and subtly looking at Kyungsoo for openings.

Jongdae remembered why he’d been sitting out here in the first place. “Wait,” he called.

The other two turned around, Kyungsoo blocking Chanyeol’s unsubtle attack as he did so. Jongdae swallowed, weirdly nervous, “Could you tell me where you hold your lessons? For when I finish early and have nothing to do.”

Chanyeol’s curious expression morphed into a wide grin, “Of course! It’s not all that hard to find, mostly because it’s hard to find large empty spaces in a city like this.”

“Just tell him Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo muttered.

“Right,” Chanyeol said. He nodded to the west and said, “It’s just up the road. It’s a huge old shipping yard from when the city was first made, before they changed to the new Marina. The built this traditional looking training school for all elements with an open roof in the centre. It’s actually hard to miss. I’d be kind of worried if you didn’t see it.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Jongdae said wryly. 

“You’re welcome to come and watch if you like, even if you can’t bend,” Kyungsoo added. “We usually have a group of spectators who sit on some of the old shipping crates.”

Jongdae smiled at the two of them before they turned to head to the station. He felt excitement swell within him, the prospect of seeing actual bending classes that weren’t conducted private tutors and filled with endless yelling intrigued him, especially when the instructors were these two. The comedic potential was endless, but, more than that, they were both amazing at what they did, and he wanted to see more. Their displays at the festival had stayed in his mind ever since he’d seen them. He vowed to finish early on Thursday, so he could watch them teach for as long as possible.

–

When Jongdae walked into the bending school after work that Thursday, he saw a great many things happening all at once. Kyungsoo was standing with a class of very small earthbenders, trying to get them to raise more than one piece of earth at once. Kyungsoo flinched slightly every time a large chunk of rock hit the ground before bending down and explaining what the student had done wrong. He demonstrated for them all, and they watched him carefully. It was cute. 

On the other side of the yard, there was abject chaos. While Kyungsoo had a few spectators of all ages from parents to people learning via observation, Chanyeol had an incredibly large and rowdy audience of his own. He led a tribe of excited young firebenders that eagerly followed along with his extremely creative exercises. They were nothing like the regimented sequences Jongdae had been forced to memorize as a kid–they were free and lazy yet designed to get kids interested and get the general ideas right while keeping the core aspects at heart. It looked _fun._

Chanyeol himself was impossible to ignore–it was hard not to pay attention to a six-foot man amidst a group of twelve-year-old children, but he also had so much charisma that everyone in the audience, Jongdae included, were smiling along with him. He loved this, loved bending, and it shone through his teaching. It reminded Jongdae of how he felt about lightning bending and how he might have felt about fire had it not been forced upon him the way it was.

“Jongdae!” Kyungsoo exclaimed with a smile, not letting the rocks he was levitating falter in the slightest. His gaggle of students looked impressed.

Upon hearing the news of Jongdae’s arrival, Chanyeol, who was in the middle of doing some kind of jump kick, looked over and promptly fell on his ass. The ridiculous, deep yelp he made as he fell to the ground had both the audience and Jongdae laughing. The way his expression swapped so quickly from pleasantly surprised to embarrassment and pain only made Jongdae laugh even harder. 

“You okay?” Jongdae asked in concern.

Chanyeol stood up slowly. “Yep, happens all the time.” His students all laughed and then looked at Jongdae as if to confirm what he’d just said. Jongdae started to laugh too, and Chanyeol’s resulting frown only made him laugh harder.

“All of you can take five, or keep practicing,” Chanyeol told his gaggle of students, “just don’t kill each other.” 

All of his students happily continued bending in a chaotic and potentially dangerous mess. Jongdae felt a pang of envy watching them giggle and run from each other.

“So, this is what you spend your time doing,” Jongdae said, gesturing towards the yard. It was definitely more eventful than his own job bending lightning beside old man Yang who talked non-stop about his cat, Mimi.

“Yup. It pays the bills, and it’s really fun watching them learn. When you study bending history all the time you can’t help but want to see it in practice, y’know?” Chanyeol said, looking at his students fondly.

Jongdae couldn’t exactly relate, having no one to teach his own style to and having been subject to every possible official firebending style in the upper echelons of Fire Nation society. Not even the finest teachers, in all their wisdom, could teach him. He considered voicing this aloud, but something in Chanyeol’s expression and the way he talked about bending, as if it was an incredible art that was alive and changeable, held his tongue. He liked this take, it felt more realistic.

It certainly looks like your teaching is paying off.” Jongdae said, making Chanyeol look proud. “Your chaos is clearly rubbing off too.”

“They were like that before,” Chanyeol said, indignantly.

Kyungsoo walked up to them at that moment. “They were not, and you know it. My students are perfectly reasonable. You just allowed chaos to fester.”

Kyungsoo’s students were either practicing diligently or sitting off to the side, drinking water and chatting. Some watched the firebenders with interest but knew Kyungsoo was keeping an eye on them and didn’t dare to join.

“It’s like good teacher, bad teacher,” Jongdae commented.

Chanyeol, of course, wasted no time announcing, “I’m definitely the good teacher.” Kyungsoo and Jongdae just laughed.

Break time ended, and they continued for the final ten minutes of their lessons. Jongdae sat alone on one of the crates and paid special attention to the firebenders and what Chanyeol was saying to them. It made sense to him the more he listened. Soon, an idea formed in the back of his mind. Something he hadn’t dared think about for years and had long given up on. He wanted to try learning firebending again, and he was beginning to think Chanyeol might have the key to unlocking what had been there from the start. 

Jongdae said nothing of his ideas to either of them on their way home. Instead he joined Kyungsoo in poking fun at Chanyeol and then switched sides to gang up on Kyungsoo. The journey home ended with an explanation that the school was actually for the lower classes to learn bending so they could use their skills productively and not be a danger because they lacked control. The water and airbenders learned on Mondays and Wednesdays while fire and earthbending classes were on Tuesdays and Thursdays, explaining why they were able to meet so often.

On that note, they parted ways. Jongdae had just about made up his mind about what he wanted. He just had one person to speak to about it.

**_10 Years Old_ **

_Sweat beaded on Jongdae’s forehead as he transitioned smoothly between elementary forms. Breathe in, plant your foot firmly with your back straight, step and extend your fist, breathe out, and continue. He took a ragged breath; pivot, kick high, breathe out, breathe in, swing down and jab, jab, jab. All of his motions were careful, perfect according to his instructors, with the exception that there was no fire. Each extension of his body that should have produced flame remained only that, a punch or a kick that was part of an incomplete dance. It was the lack of flame that proved to be the bane of his existence, but, more than his, it seemed to be the source of his mother’s fury._

_Jongdae had never been good at moving his body in precise formations. Awkward and stiff were his middle names, and he went from being laughed at while dancing to having other students run circles around him whenever they played ball at school. It took him two years just to get this far, each step taken under the falcon-like gaze of his mother, who would tap his limbs into place during lessons. He cried at night from the muscle pains after hours of practice and then returned to school the next day with red eyes and little sleep. This was on top of his extra tutoring in all things expected of a noble fire nation boy._

_Jongdae’s path to perfection had been hard won, and it wasn’t without help. It began a few months earlier, after he had failed to perfect a particularly difficult sequence and was severely reprimanded. He hid from his tutors by running down to the beach behind their manor._

_He was going to get this form right, and he was going to do it himself without being pestered by hits from his mother’s favourite metal fan._

_Setting his jaw, he did a bow before beginning, as he’d been taught. He went through each form slowly, making sure to get the position right, and then started connecting them, trying to do it more smoothly each time. It was much easier this way and almost fun, even if he couldn’t bring out any flame even if he tried. He did try, though, probably harder than he did in lessons, but expected nothing._

_The beach practice lessons had been a success. His forms improved, and his muscles strengthened so he could endure the long hours in the practice hall. The main result was the fact that he wasn’t being hit as much, which was more than enough for him._

_Jongdae stood in a circle of sand by the water that had been etched by his routine over the past hour. “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” he muttered to himself when he managed to complete a sweeping kick into a standing position properly. He hadn’t been hit all morning and he’d probably be safe tomorrow._

_“Why didn’t you do what sooner?” Jongdae jumped and shifted into a ready stance, turning to face whoever had spoken. He’d never seen or heard anyone on this beach before, it was private property after all, but at ten years old he couldn’t do much to stop anyone._

_When he laid eyes on the speaker he recognized a familiar looking boy with reddish-brown hair and cat-like eyes smiling at him from the rock he sat on. Jongdae took in his blue sleeveless tunic and beaded accessories and realized where he’d seen him before._

_“You’re the son of the ambassador,” Jongdae said, then blushed because he should know that already. They attended the same school and the Ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe lived in the neighbouring manor which meant this was their beach too._

_“That’s me,” the other boy said with a smile. He hopped off the rock and walked over to Jongdae, who remained in place and was still a little stunned by his sudden appearance. “My name’s Minseok, in case you need a refresher,” he said. A lopsided grin spread across his face when he held out his hand in greeting and it was the best thing Jongdae had seen all week, aside from rabbit-pig dinner on Monday and his secret pet fire ferret learning how to fetch._

_Jongdae restarted his brain and said, “I’m Jongdae, my mother is General Kim.”_

_Minseok laughed, his eyes gleaming, “I know, we’re neighbours.”_

_“Right, well some people aren’t know-it-alls, so one can never be sure.” Jongdae muttered, earning another laugh._

_“I’m just surprised that I've never seen you around here before. I come to the beach a lot to practice.” Minseok nodded towards the ocean._

_Jongdae opened his mouth to ask what he meant and nearly put his face in his palm when it immediately dawned on him that Minseok was a waterbender and this was the beach, where the ocean was, which consists of water._

_Jongdae coughed. “I’ve been practicing here too, it’s nicer than indoors.”_

_Minseok raised an eyebrow and to be fair Jongdae would have too. It was blistering hot and humid outside under the sun, and even though it was currently sunset, the heat lingered in the air. It was not at all ideal for moving around and sweating, especially if you were supposed to be bending fire on top of that. “I meant it’s better out here because I’m alone,” he amended defensively._

_“I didn’t say anything,” Minseok said, but he still had that glint to his eyes._

_Jongdae crossed his arms. “But you thought it.”_

_“Okay yes I did.” Minseok admitted before changing the subject, “It’s really hot in this country I don’t know you all stand it.”_

_Jongdae shrugged, “It’s no hotter than usual just before summer, you’re the one that came from a place with nothing but ice.”_

_“That doesn’t mean it’s not unreasonably hot.”_

_Jongdae could feel the sweat dripping from his forehead and wiped it away with the back of his hand. He glanced at the discarded fireproof tunic he’d been wearing over the soft cotton shirt he wore now which was drenched with sweat and not particularly comfortable. He had been thinking of taking a dip in the sea soon._

_Jongdae unfolded his arms and gave in, admitting “You’re right, I’m dying. This is awful” He dropped to the ground in the wet sand, letting the water roll over his feet like he’d meant to before Minseok came around. Unsticking his shirt from his torso he looked back up at Minseok for his reaction._

_He really didn’t know much about Minseok aside from formal dinners and whatever people at school said about him. Being the only waterbender in a Fire Nation academy for boys, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He had a reputation for being kind, friendly, and unassuming, somewhat unlike the mischievous boy in front of him now._

_Minseok’s lips twitched and his eyes shifted to the side. Jongdae saw the movement of his hands and quickly followed his gaze to the ocean where a tendril of water was flying at him. A moment later he was drenched in freezing water, spluttering incoherent words at Minseok who was now doubled over with laughter._

_“Y-your face was priceless,” he wheezed. Jongdae waited for him to stop and when he was pretty much done he asked, “You’re not as hot anymore, are you?”_

_“No,” Jongdae admitted. “but you could have warned me! I wasn’t ready to be drenched!”_

_“Oh stop whining, you have to admit it’s convenient, isn’t it?_

_“Okay fine.”_

_“I can’t do much yet though, the only thing I’m really good at is doing stuff with ice which is…kind of a problem here.” Minseok looked a little defeated and Jongdae could understand a little._

_“It’s better than being a firebender that can’t bend fire,” Jongdae told him, hoping to raise his spirits. He was used to being like this so saying it didn’t really bother him anymore._

_Minseok looked up at him, “Is that why you’ve been doing all of those forms without bending anything? I’ve been wondering that for a while.”_

_Jongdae frowned. No one aside from his family and the servants even knew he couldn’t bend. It was a little odd having a stranger privy to one of his deepest secrets, especially one that ran so deep. He wasn’t sure what to do or say in this situation because a million things came to mind and he couldn’t voice even one of them. Minseok could bend naturally, just like everyone else in his family, his situation was strange and unnatural, and he was becoming increasingly self-conscious about it._

_“You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to,” Minseok said quickly._

_Jongdae only looked at him. He was still unsure how to react. He found himself wanting to confide in this boy because, well, he had no one else to tell and he was drowning by himself. “No,” he said, shuffling from side to side but looking at Minseok, “I’ll tell you. But you have to promise not to say this to anyone else.”_

_“Okay,” Minseok said simply, but Jongdae could tell he was interested because his eyes went wide._

_“My mother will kill me for saying this, but–I’m not sure how to put it–I’m a firebender but I can’t bend fire. It doesn’t make sense, it’s unnatural, but I haven’t been able to fix it.” To get it over with, Jongdae had spoken very quickly and hoped Minseok picked it up._

_Minseok seemed to think for a moment before speaking. “That is pretty weird, but I don’t think it’s unnatural, that’s a bit harsh. You just haven’t made it work for you.”_

_“I wish someone could tell her that,” Jongdae spat. He hadn’t meant for it to come out quite that harshly, but he meant it from the bottom of his heart. Minseok’s words echoed what he himself thought about his situation. Hesitantly, he asked, “Do you really think that?”_

_“Sure, it’s not the worst problem you could have. You are a bender after all. If you want we can work on it together, or at least side by side. I have a lot of forms to work on and it’ll be more fun with company.” Minseok gave him a reassuring smile and Jongdae found himself relaxing even more._

_“I’d like that.” Jongdae said, returning his smile. Jongdae had never heard any other perspective on his problem before. It was refreshing and relieving to have someone else think the same way he did. He didn’t want to say anything more on the subject for fear of dampening the mood._

_Not one person had ever treated him as if he was fine just as he was, or at least no one who was aware of his situation. He hadn’t even heard anyone provide some other perspective aside from the healers who said he was fine. Even their servants thought he was strange. It was refreshing and relieving. He decided not to reveal more out of fear that he would dampen the mood._

_Minseok clapped his hands together and said, “Then let’s get to work.”_

_Jongdae met with Minseok as often as he could after that and they became inseparable at school. Jongdae had never had a close friend before, but more than anything he hoped Minseok would be the first. He was the first person who knew and didn’t treat him like some sort of weirdo; he was the first person he trusted to know his secrets._

_The fact that his mother couldn’t say anything about it without risking an international dispute was an added bonus, but even if she could say something he would have fought for this._

**_21 Years Old_ **

That night, before going to his own room, he went one floor higher to Minseok’s. He knocked on the door with a little hesitation. He was still struggling to figure out how strong his resolve to resume learning firebending was, before he actually talked about it to someone. With a deep breath he made up his mind and knocked on the door.

Jongdae was met with a face that was very much not Minseok. “Yixing!” he said pleasantly.

“Oh, hey Jongdae,” Yixing said with a smile. He was very obviously on his way to the baths and Jongdae let him pass before entering the room. That was one obstacle gone. A much as Jongdae liked Minseok’s roommate, he wasn’t in on the secret, and this was one of those conversations that required secret member access.

Minseok was sitting down at his desk, so focused on whatever he was working on, that he hadn’t heard Jongdae’s exchange with Yixing. Jongdae was tempted to scare him by prodding him in the sides, but he knew he’d regret it immediately. Besides, Minseok looked so focused he knew he’d feel bad afterwards. Jongdae chose to cough loudly instead.

“Wha–oh! Jongdae! Why are you here at…11:30? Don’t you have homework?” Minseok was wearing soft-looking blue pyjamas and looked as comfortable as Jongdae wished he was at the moment.

Jongdae wasn’t sure how to bring up what he wanted to say in this cozy context. It felt strangely out of place here, so far from where they’d spent their childhood. His futile efforts to learn firebending were supposed to be an element of the past, something he had moved on from, and now he was bringing it back. There was no time like the present though, and he was nothing if not determined.

“I’m thinking of trying to learn firebending again,” he said, simply.

Minseok’s eyebrows shot up as he turned around to look at Jongdae properly. “Are you sure about that?”

“It can’t hurt to try again. The worst outcome is I just continue to not be able to bend fire.” Saying it aloud like that made it seem like an old ache that constantly wore him down. This would be one more effort to make it go away for good.

“You think Chanyeol can really make it work, don’t you?” Minseok finally asked, looking up at Jongdae. His tone was soft, he knew how much this meant to him and Jongdae loved him for it.

Jongdae shrugged, “I’ve never seen anyone bend like him, or anyone understand firebending like he does. He knows so much about firebending that has long been lost, or fallen out of use, things those stubborn masters would refuse to even consider. Maybe something will stick.”

“Well,” Minseok said carefully, “Like you said, it can’t hurt.”

“Right.” Jongdae said in affirmation.

“You didn’t have to ask, you know?”

“I wanted to, you’ve been with me the whole time. It felt right.”

They shared a quiet moment before Minseok looked at the clock again and chased him out of the room, past a confused Yixing, and down the stairs.

Jongdae vaguely mentioned it to Baekhyun, who muttered something about learning from the sexy, tall firebender, getting all close and personal. Jongdae hit him with a pile of the filthy clothes that had been sitting on the floor. He then fell on the bed in his undershorts and promptly fell asleep.

–

The following Tuesday, **J** ongdae spent his entire shift going over what he was going to ask Chanyeol over and over again. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous, but his nerves grew to the point that he accidentally said it to Seulgi, the clerk at the plant, instead of giving her his numbers for today. She laughed it off, but he still went red with embarrassment regardless. How was he supposed to ask Chanyeol, if he couldn’t even could barely say it to someone else entirely?

Despite his nerves, he managed to meet his quota in record breaking time, though he could barely meet Seulgi’s eyes when she gave him his pay for the day. She reassured him that, despite his little slip up, he was still the least offensive person who worked there, so he took some solace in that before hurrying off.

By the time he was near the bending school, he was practically sprinting along the rough paved stones and packed dirt that led him there. His already sweaty clothes were sticking to his frame due to the last heat of the summer that lingered in the evening air. Not even the salt tinged ocean breeze could make the unforgiving rays of the waning sun tolerable.

He hoped all the exertion wouldn’t be in vain and that he would be able to catch Chanyeol just before break time during his last lesson of the evening. Of course, waiting until afterwards was also a viable option, but asking during a lesson felt less intimate. They would be less isolated amidst others who were also there to learn.

It was to his great fortune that he walked through the open gates to the glorified shipping yard that served as a bending school just in time to hear Chanyeol calling for a break. He was mildly surprised not to see Kyungsoo with his collection of small, but surprisingly disciplined earthbenders. Instead there was a younger boy teaching some impressively beautiful waterbending with water from one of the troughs that lined the edges of the yard, taps placed at various intervals for refilling.

Once Chanyeol had ensured that all of his pupils were indeed getting properly hydrated, he began walking to a tap under the overhang by the entrance, close to where Jongdae assumed the offices and large indoor training room were.

He very obviously had not seen Jongdae standing by the gate as he went about his business, letting the water fall from the tap for a moment before splashing his face and the back of his neck several times. Then, he reached for a clean but ratty towel from a stack above the sink. After he’d rubbed himself dry, he ran his fingers through his damp hair, lifting it from his forehead. Jongdae found himself yet again struck by how good looking he was, but focused on the task at hand, forcing that observation to the back of his mind.

It was only when Chanyeol shook his mop of reddish hair that he noticed Jongdae’s presence at all. “Jongdae! You’re here!” he exclaimed with wide eyes that melted into a warm expression that had Jongdae melting a bit himself.

“Yep, it’s me,” he replied, not quite recovered from the sight he’d just seen.

If Chanyeol noticed anything was off, he didn’t say anything. “So, how was work?”

“The usual, I guess,” Jongdae answered. “Where’s Kyungsoo?”

“He has a quiz tomorrow,” Chanyeol said, rolling his eyes. Not one to be distracted, Chanyeol cocked his head to the side, “What’s up with you, you’re acting kind of fidgety?

Jongdae hated how perceptive he could be but decided to take the opportunity to ask before he lost his nerve. “I was wondering,” despite how many times he had practiced, he still found it hard to say, “I was wondering if you could teach me firebending.

Chanyeol frowned for a moment and Jongdae’s heart sank. “I forgot you couldn’t bend it with all of that lightning,” Chanyeol finally said, as if it had simply slipped his mind. 

“Yeah,” Jongdae said in a small voice

Chanyeol saw how solemn he looked and clapped a hand on Jongdae’s shoulder. “No don’t be sad, I’ll definitely teach you. In fact, you’ve come to the right person, there’s nothing I don’t know about bending. Well actually there’s a lot but I’m good with beginners of all sorts and, as a firebender, this is my specialty.”

Chanyeol’s confidence was reassuring, it settled his nerves a little, something none of his previous tutors had ever been able to. Still, he held onto his fears, they kept him grounded, realistic. “No one had ever been able to make it work Chanyeol,” Jongdae said flatly, seeing if it would deter Chanyeol in any way.

Rather than being deterred, Chanyeol gave him a soft smile and said, “Then I’ll have to be the first. Let me just make sure we can do this here, I’d rather you don’t risk deportation. I’ll just be a sec.”

In the moment, Jongdae had nearly forgotten the risk of being caught doing any of this and having his ID brought into question, unlikely as it may be. It would result in him having to return home. He was impressed Chanyeol had the foresight to remember.

Chanyeol walked over to a man who looked like the head teacher from his bearing and the way he dressed. The man had been observing the lessons carefully, especially those of the young waterbender. “Hey, Hyukjae, do you mind if we use the place after lessons are done for the evening? Someone I know wants some extra practice and I could use a bit myself.” Jongdae heard Chanyeol ask.

The head teacher, Hyukjae, looked startled for a moment but relaxed. He eyed Jongdae for a split second but smiled at Jongdae’s nervous wave in greeting. He turned to Chanyeol, “Not at all, just remember to lock up after. You still have the key I gave you right?”

Chanyeol looked stricken for a moment and patted down all of his pockets before pulling out a large, flat key to the gate. “Yep.”

Hyukjae rolled his eyes. “You’re all good then, just don’t lose that.”

“I won’t. I promise,” Chanyeol said, backing away. 

Chanyeol gave Jongdae a grin as he walked back over. “Just wait for me to finish with these kids and we can get to work. What time do you have to be back for?”

“The last car leaves at 11pm, and it’s almost 9 so we have a while. I already finished my homework on the ride here,” Jongdae said. He was very much prepared for this, holding onto the hope that Chanyeol wouldn’t say no. Of course, he was fairly certain he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t sure what Chanyeol would think once it was evident that he was pretty much a lost cause.

While Chanyeol was busy with the kids, Hyukjae guided him to the equipment room and helpfully showed him where all of the fireproof gear was. “It’s not much since, our lessons are fairly cheap, and the city doesn’t give us much to begin with, but it’s better than getting burnt.”

Jongdae nodded and gave his thanks. He was used to being coddled with the best gear, so he grimaced a bit while putting on the old gear that smelled of charcoal and sweat and was worn with age and frequent cleaning.

Hyukjae had also shown him where all of the burn ointments and bandages were because their resident healer wouldn’t be around at that time. Given the amount of explosions beginner lightning benders were prone to making, Jongdae had a feeling they’d need plenty of supplies to patch each other up before they could get to the all-hours healer at school.

By the time Jongdae was ready for their session, already geared up, Chanyeol was waving off his small gaggle of children. The yard was nearly empty as Jongdae made his way across the packed earth of the training grounds to where Chanyeol was standing with his hands on his hips.

“So, my young pupil, are you ready for your lesson?” Chanyeol boomed, his chest inflated before him. He was clad in the same gear Jongdae was except it looked infinitely better on him.

“You do know I’m older than you right?” Jongdae said with a laugh.

“No. Way.” Chanyeol said in blatant disbelief.

“September.”

“Dammit,” Chanyeol swore, looking Jongdae up and down. “You’re so small I just figured…”

“Figured what?” Jongdae said, daring him to finish that sentence. His fingers crackled with static for effect.

Chanyeol eyed them with apprehension. “Nothing, I figured nothing,” he said, firmly. Then added, “You do know that’s pretty scary right.”

“That’s the idea,” Jongdae said. “But we’re not here for my lightning bending. I want to learn how to bend fire.”

“From what you said earlier, you made it seem like you’ve never bent it before. Like, at all. How is that even possible?” Chanyeol asked, looking genuinely puzzled. Jongdae had a feeling he had far more questions but had decided to wait for Jongdae to provide the answers of his own volition.

Jongdae sighed, “After the crack scientist managed to prove I was a bender at all, I have never been able to go beyond heating up my hands a little. Changing the energy and charging the air, objects, and parts of my body is all I’ve been able to do since I discovered I could. Otherwise there’s nothing at all. Ever.”

“Surely you can’t be that bad?” Chanyeol said skeptically.

“Trust me, I’m even worse than bad. My mother tried everything to force it out of me for my entire childhood,” Jongdae said with a grimace. He didn’t want to go too far into his past. He liked Chanyeol but giving him that much information was a little too much at this point in their relationship. He’d only _just_ started letting Baekhyun on to the entire truth.

“I didn’t listen to my teachers either and I turned out fine,” Chanyeol said, still trying to piece all of this together.

“I think it’s better I show you.” Jongdae said. Chanyeol was clearly the sort who needed to see to believe. “Step back.” Chanyeol did as he was told and Jongdae began with the simplest sequence he knew, one they taught almost every bender and one he’d seen Chanyeol showing to his students. He did it perfectly, just without any actual fire.

Chanyeol looked like he was about to say something but Jongdae continued. He moved onto an intermediate sequence, with leg sweeps and counter moves. He knew it was perfect because he’d done it hundreds of times, the same with the advanced set his mother had forced into his head.

When he glanced at Chanyeol, he noticed the other was lost in thought, staring at Jongdae as if he were a puzzle to solve or a code to crack. Jongdae hoped he’d be able to figure it out because Chanyeol was probably his last hope.

As a last demonstration, Jongdae did one of his modified sequences, _Thunder Dragon Rises_. He named it when he was considerably younger, and it stuck. This was one designed for lightning bending; keeping a current going before releasing it in an unexpected direction, holding a charge and firing more than once, using a limb to direct the current into whatever it contacts, making a clap of sound for noise, and so on. Tips and tricks he’d learned how to do.

Chanyeol was looking at him with awe. He couldn’t help but feel proud of himself for that. Doing that sequence always made him feel better after he was forced to try any other one.

Chanyeol’s eyes were practically sparkling. “That was amazing, how did you do that? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I made it up when I was younger. I couldn’t do the other ones, so I made my own ones to practice.”

“You should write those down somewhere, I’m sure they’d be really useful in furthering the art and…I’m getting ahead of myself, sorry.”

Jongdae laughed, “It’s fine.”

“So, you really can’t bend fire?” 

“Nope, not even a tiny flame. I know it’s weird just don’t say it.”

“I wasn’t going to. There has to be something keeping you from doing it, some sort of mindset. Bending has a lot to do with chi but also with where your mind is, especially fire,” Chanyeol said before devolving into mutterings about bending theory that Jongdae couldn’t make head nor tail of.

“So, will you try and help teach me?” Jongdae interrupted, hope making his voice quiver a bit.

Chanyeol just looked at him for a moment. “Of course I will, we’re friends, right?”

Jongdae nodded.

“Besides, you didn’t say it, but it looks like this has been bugging you for a while. The only thing I ask in return is that you teach me lightning bending.”

“You can’t?” Jongdae asked in surprise.

“Not one spark. That’s not to say I didn’t try, it was just a little too explosive for my parents’ tastes.”

Jongdae winced. He remembered his early days trying not to do that. You needed good emotional control for it. Chanyeol wasn’t someone he could see mastering it easily. “I’ll teach you if you teach me.”

“It’s a deal,” Chanyeol said, sticking out his hand with a brilliant smile.

Jongdae took his hand and looked up into his beaming face, returning the smile. If his heart jumped a bit at the sight, he left it up to excitement over learning.

Baekhyun was already asleep by the time Jongdae was washed and ready for bed. He still had homework to do so he turned on a small lamp and worked until his eyes were drooping and he collapsed onto his bed, happier than he’d felt in a long time.

–

“We’ve sorted it out, I’m learning firebending again,” Jongdae announced to Minseok the next morning at breakfast. He decided he’d rather say it himself than wait for questions about how things went the night before. He was also far too happy to contain himself, grinning widely out of sheer excitement

Minseok’s eyes widened and it took him a moment to swallow his rice. “Really? He agreed to teach you?” he asked, leaning forward. His glass of orange juice wobbled dangerously until Baekhyun caught it quickly.

“Of course he did,” Jongdae dismissed with a wave of his chopsticks, still grinning, “he’s already teaching beginners, there’s no reason he can’t teach one more. I promised to teach him lightning bending in return, so it’s a fair trade.”

Baekhyun hummed from beside Jongdae, “So it’s just you and Chanyeol all alone in that yard getting hot and sweaty?” His wicked grin earned him a glare from Jongdae and cost him part of his breakfast as Jongdae reached over and stole a mouthful.

“Kyungsoo will probably be there too,” Jongdae said through the stolen food in his mouth, “So we won’t be alone.”

“So?” Baekhyun said, popping a bit of kimchi into his mouth. He shifted so his food was a bit more shielded, in case Jongdae decided to steal any more of it. “That means nothing. Things can still get hot and heavy when you’re working so hard together. Besides, he’s pretty hot, even with that bad dye job.

“If it was like that, I would have said so,” Jongdae said. “I already know nothing escapes you, so there’s no point in keeping secrets.”

“True,” Baekhyun said thoughtfully, but Jongdae could tell he wasn’t getting out of this that quickly. It had been forever since Jongdae’s short-lived crush on Minseok’s roommate and he never wanted to experience that kind of torture again.

“I do think we might have to investigate this Chanyeol a bit. See if he’s really qualified to take care of our Jongdae,” Minseok said. There was an icy edge to his voice that meant he was completely serious.

“You know Minseok, I was thinking the exact same thing. We’re going to learn who Mr. Tall, Gangly, and Handsome really is and what his intentions towards our Jongdae are.” Baekhyun announce.

“If you two come anywhere near our training sessions unless I personally invite you and I will make it so your hair doesn’t stick to your head for a week.” Jongdae said darkly. “I will make every article of clothing you own charged with enough static that you’ll feel it.”

“Don’t be like that Jongdae, we have your best interests at heart,” Baekhyun said, giving him a pat on the back, “We’re only kidding. Or, I am at least, Minseok really will investigate him.”

Minseok nodded and hummed in assent. Jongdae figured if it was Minseok, the more reasonable one, he’d probably be fine. Chanyeol was a good guy and Jongdae couldn’t see any reason why Minseok would find fault in him.

“Yeah, sure you do,” Jongdae mumbled. “You don’t even know where the training yard is.”

“How you doubt me Jongdae, I found out where it was ever since you started talking about it. It wasn’t hard. I’m the one who told you where the power plant was in the first place, if you recall.” Baekhyun said, stabbing at his egg.

“I’m leaving,” Jongdae said, picking up his food tray and walking towards the garbage.

“I’m still really happy you’re doing this Jongdae,” Minseok called from behind him. Jongdae gave him a wave before leaving the building entirely. “This says you’re a non-bender, that true?” the man said, right on cue.

Rather than say anything, Jongdae just decided to give him a demonstration. He stepped back and took a deep breath to center himself and called the lightning, allowing it to build before safely letting it go. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)


	4. Book Three - Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Can your science explain how it rains?"
> 
> "Yes! Yes, it can!"  
> –Random Villager & Sokka (ATLA S1)
> 
> I bullshit a lot of bending theory here, trying to explain "magic" through science in a vague way that made sense to me. I'm a history student, forgive me.

“So, let me get this straight,” Kyungsoo said from where he sat on one of the training hall’s benches, looking between Chanyeol and Jongdae’s pleading faces, “You’re going to teach Jongdae firebending and you want _me_ to supervise.”

Jongdae nodded but glanced over at Chanyeol for confirmation. 

They had cornered Kyungsoo together after lessons under the guise of grabbing something to eat before they went home. Chanyeol had thought it a brilliant plan, even though Jongdae remained unconvinced. He still didn’t know Kyungsoo all that well, and Chanyeol sometimes acted as if the earthbender was a bomb about to go off. However, Jongdae was beginning to think this was a very Chanyeol-specific phenomenon, and that Kyungsoo might actually be quite rational. That particular observation gave him hope.

“Exactly,” Chanyeol said, echoing Jongdae’s confirmation and verbalizing it.

Kyungsoo lowered his gaze, and he closed his eyes for a moment. Jongdae hoped he was in the process of weighing the costs and benefits of doing as they asked and helping with Jongdae’s firebending lessons. It was a few tense moments before Kyungsoo crossed his arms and looked up towards Jongdae. “Can I at least ask why you need me here specifically?”

Before he had the chance to answer, Chanyeol flung an arm across Jongdae’s back, his hand curling around Jongdae’s bicep, and pulled him close with surprising strength. The sudden movement made Jongdae yelp and he was a little overwhelmed by suddenly having his space invaded by a hot, sweaty Chanyeol. He tried to pry himself away, but Chanyeol only gripped him tighter and he gave up. Feeling awkward, he kept his eyes on Kyungsoo, who remained unmoved by the display.

Chanyeol coughed into his hand and gestured at Jongdae dramatically, “You see Kyungsoo, we both know that Jongdae’s not allowed to bend legally because his paperwork says so. Do you think I want one of the senior instructors finding that out? No. That’s why we need you to supervise.

With those words he entered into a staring contest of wills with Kyungsoo, or so it seemed to Jongdae. His only involvement was being pressed even closer to Chanyeol’s warm body as he further tightened his grip on Jongdae’s arm.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m an earthbender, how am I supposed to help?” Kyungsoo said, his equally stubborn look unwavering. 

Based on force of will alone, Jongdae would place his bets on Kyungsoo any time. Chanyeol was stubborn to a fault, but Kyungsoo was a force of nature with an arresting glare that made you pay attention to what he had to say. There was enough of a chance of Chanyeol losing that Jongdae felt the need to say something if he wanted these bending lessons to work.

Now that he was distracted, Jongdae knocked Chanyeol out of the way while slipping out from his grasp. “We just want you to supervise and maybe give tips from another perspective. Minseok’s waterbending helped me develop my lightning bending when I was trying to get a feel for it, who knows what I might learn from earthbending. Plus, I feel like we really do need supervision.” Jongdae said, looking over at Chanyeol, who’s recent attempt to bend lightning had required the healer to put down her bag and patch him up before leaving.

“You’ll pay me in food,” Kyungsoo said, after a moment of deliberation and a wary glance at Chanyeol. “But know that I’m doing this for you and your safety. I don’t know the full story of what happened, but I can tell this means a lot to you.”

Jongdae’s eyes widened, brows shooting up. He hadn’t expected that, but then, Kyungsoo paid attention. He watched and waited, as good earthbenders should. He also didn’t pry, offering what he could. “Thank you,” Jongdae said with all the sincerity he had.

Kyungsoo gave him a smile. “We should do something about him,” Kyungsoo said, nodding over at Chanyeol. “He likes to make decisions without asking.”

Jongdae gave Kyungsoo a wink then said, in a loud voice, “Oh yes, Chanyeol would be happy to pay for the food, this was his idea after all.”

Kyungsoo smirked at Jongdae and added, “And meat buns don’t count as a meal, you cheap bastard!”

Chanyeol swung around, “That wasn’t the plan!”

“It’s is now,” Kyungsoo said, mouth twitching with laughter at Chanyeol aghast expression.

Chanyeol opened his mouth to express his outrage but Kyungsoo interrupted, saying, “I still have homework after this, so you better get started or I really will leave.”

Chanyeol stuck his tongue out at Kyungsoo, then turned to Jongdae. “Go put on a set of equipment and we can get started. Jongdae wasted no time following orders and went to the equipment room. As he pulled on a set of gear, he let relief wash over him. He was glad that they managed to convince Kyungsoo to watch over them as they practiced. A small part of him wished he could work alone with Chanyeol, but this was definitely the safest option.

When Jongdae was ready, he headed out to the training area where Chanyeol was waiting. Kyungsoo sat off to the side so he could watch.

Since neither of them had anything planned, the day ended up as another day of blind experimentation without success. On the positive side, at least according to Jongdae and Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s frustration with lightning was so comical it had them in tears, which only made him more frustrated and had them laughing even harder. It was so fun he didn’t want to part once they got to the school and had finished taking Chanyeol to get patched up by the healer on duty, who gave them strange looks for coming in covered with singed clothes and dirt from a few of the fires Chanyeol had managed to start.

–

Their first real lesson together was a total disaster. 

Chanyeol’s methods of teaching were excellent, considering this was what he spent all his time studying and the fact that he taught beginners how to bend on a regular basis. He was also good natured and more patient than his short temper had led Jongdae to believe. He was also funny, and only sometimes laughed his ass off whenever Jongdae did something stupid. Working with him was fun.

Unfortunately, Jongdae was having trouble reconciling Chanyeol’s more radical teaching style with the regimented one he was used to. Trying to make sense of so many contradicting bending theories all at once was impossible while trying to implement them. At some point, Jongdae had to run into the office to grab something to write it all down with. In general, Chanyeol made a lot more sense than his old masters, but unlearning old habits wasn’t going to happen all at once. 

The real trouble, however, was trying to teach Chanyeol how to bend lightning. He was too emotive for it to come easily to him, and neither Jongdae nor Kyungsoo could figure out how to calm him down, so his growing frustration at his inability to calm his mind didn’t end up setting off even more explosions.

“Stop, stop!” Jongdae shouted after Chanyeol’s latest attempt had resulted in yet another explosion. He waited for the smoke to dissipate before walking over to where Chanyeol had fallen on the ground to pull him up, making sure he wasn’t hurt. He had only a small burn on his palm, which was nothing for a firebender. Small burn though it was, Jongdae couldn’t let this continue.

“Chanyeol you’re not even standing right,” he said, imitating the way Chanyeol had been standing. “It’s still firebending, you can’t just wave your fingers around and focus only on the mental half. You need to make a pathway for the energy to flow before you can try manipulating it.” In his mind, Jongdae reprimanded himself, he knew that he probably should have mentioned that earlier, but he’d been too caught up in his own struggles to notice.

Chanyeol looked down at his lazy, very stiff stance. “Oh, you’re right,” he said, matching his form to the one Jongdae was now demonstrating. “Thanks,” he said with a grin that faded to determination as he continued through the motions again.

Watching him try it a few times without trying to bend was helpful in that Jongdae could see that Chanyeol was not doing anything correctly at all. There was no way the energy could flow properly the way he was doing it and he’d end up hurting himself, even if he did manage to calm his mind enough to bend it at all.

“Chanyeol, stand there and don’t move,” Jongdae ordered. Chanyeol froze where he was and looked at Jongdae expectantly. Jongdae hesitated a moment, willing his cheeks not to redden, before continuing, “I’m going to demonstrate and then guide your arms through the motions with my hands.”

He did as he said, and demonstrated the basic form used to call lightning and direct it immediately. Chanyeol tried to follow but didn’t quite get it, so, true to his word, Jongdae walked behind Chanyeol and grabbed his wrists. As soon as he tried to move, he realized he had a very large problem, and that problem was Chanyeol himself. He had underestimated how tall Chanyeol was and realized this was not going to work. “Uh…”

Chanyeol burst out in laughter and Jongdae was forced to let go of his wrists. He turned around to give Jongdae a smug grin.

“Shut up,” Jongdae mumbled.

“Here,” Chanyeol said, walking behind Jongdae and switching places with him. “I’ll grab your wrists and follow that way.” 

Chanyeol wrapped his hands around Jongdae’s wrists. Jongdae jerked at the touch but more due to the fact that Chanyeol’s hands were really fucking huge rather than out of surprise. He muttered an apology that Jongdae barely registered because Chanyeol had stepped even closer, mere centimetres between them. Overwhelmed and how to react, Jongdae simply went through the motions several times, as planned, so Chanyeol could get the gist of it. 

Chanyeol eventually let go and Jongdae felt the loss of his warmth. He tried not to think about that as he kept going through the motions for Chanyeol to follow, over and over again until he managed to do it right.

“There, you have the basic form to get started,” Jongdae said, turning to Chanyeol, who nodded. Jongdae seriously hoped the heat he was feeling was from the exercise.

“I’ll try it again then,” Chanyeol said, his voice a little stiff.

Jongdae just nodded and watched Chanyeol get ready. Everything looked great until a loud _*BANG*_ rang through the yard accompanied by a slightly more controlled explosion than the one before.

“I think we’re done for the day,” Jongdae said, waving the smoke away.

Chanyeol looked like he was about to protest, but then looked at the sky and realized what time it was. He called over to Kyungsoo, who had been doing homework quietly, and helped Jongdae clean up before they went back to the school.

Before they parted, Jongdae reminded and reassured Chanyeol he hadn’t gotten it on his first try either, they just had to be patient. Chanyeol nodded in agreement gave him a smile before walking off to his own dorm.

–

“Chanyeol, think of it like Neutral Jing. It’s neither positive nor negative, it’s calm, it’s nothing. If what Jongdae says is right, you have to be somewhere in between to pull the positive and negatives apart for lightning,” Kyungsoo said from where he sat off to the side.

“That was in our earthbending theory class,” Chanyeol said, frowning.

“And Jongdae here said he learned a lot about lightning bending from a waterbender. Open your mind and give it a shot.”

Jongdae had no idea what “Neutral Jing” meant, but he assumed Chanyeol did, because he nodded and got ready to go once again. Jongdae opened his mouth to comment, but thought better of it, not wanting to break Chanyeol’s concentration. He needn’t have worried though, because whatever he got from Kyungsoo’s comment made no difference whatsoever.

This was the third time they’d met up since Jongdae had asked for lessons, and they hadn’t progressed much since they began, aside from learning what _not_ to do. Today, Chanyeol had asked him to explain some of the theory behind his lightning bending so he could get an idea of what was behind it. When he hadn’t managed to grasp it, Kyungsoo, who seemed to have a better understanding, despite not being a firebender at all, took his turn.

Jongdae decided to try a different approach, something he’d been thinking about through his engineering lectures. “You’re not going to get it if you don’t think about it as ‘producing’ the energy. It doesn’t flow from within you, you have to take the energy that’s already there and separate it into positive energy and negative energy. Once you do that you’ve made lightning. Energy doesn’t like being separate, so it’s power comes from seeking balance, which means you have to guide it carefully with your bending or else the polarized energies will collide explosively.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, how is this even firebending if you’re not actually producing anything,” Chanyeol said, exasperated.

“You’re the one who keeps going on about energy,” Kyungsoo said, referring to Chanyeol’s firebending lesson.

“Yeah but like when it comes from you, not all of this crap,” Chanyeol said with a frown.

“Look, I learned most of this while I was training with Minseok. It’s like waterbending in a lot of ways, you’re just bending external energy instead of the reaction you start yourself with your own,” Jongdae said slowly. He did a small demonstration.

“Why do you sound like a science teacher?” Chanyeol muttered, blowing up at his bangs to unstick them from his forehead.

Kyungsoo rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Because technically it is science. We don’t know a lot about the mechanics behind bending besides the magical aspects, but there are a lot of theories out there. Chanyeol we literally had a lecture about this last week.”

“Yeah but that doesn’t mean I understood it. I think I was asleep for about half of it, so none of it made sense.” Both Jongdae and Kyungsoo rolled their eyes at him in unison.

“That’s because you instinctively understand bending. When I bend earth or metal I’m rearranging configurations of smaller particles and bending them to my will. The more solid and interconnected they are, the harder it is to manipulate them,” Kyungsoo said. Like Jongdae, he did a demonstration, first with the earth of the yard and then with one of the metal bracelets he wore. 

Jongdae had never heard that explanation of earthbending before but it made sense. Jongdae had seen the work of both amateur and professional metalbenders. The amount of control it would require to force such a hard substance flow like water was obvious. “You see?” he asked Chanyeol.

“Not really but I’ll keep trying,” he mumbled. Not two seconds later there was another explosion and Chanyeol dragged a hand down his face. This was going to be a long road, Jongdae thought.

Leaving Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to their bickering, Jongdae went back to trying to deal with his own problems. He could talk as much as he wanted about energy and bending but he still couldn’t manage to produce anything himself. Kyungsoo had thoughtfully left him alone on the matter, judging quickly that it was something more than just not being able to do it. He was a great friend in that sense. Trying to learn was worse this time around, because he was so resentful about everything he’d been through and what they were doing was so intimately connected to his experiences as a child.

One thing he’d said during the lesson nagged at the back of his mind the entire ride home. One thing that he’d overlooked previously, especially through all of that talk about external energy. Where exactly was he getting the energy he split apart? He knew he did it with the air and the wind, but when he did it within himself, that was a different matter. He decided to keep this thought at the back of his mind, hopeful it might mean something.

–

During one of his rare free periods, Jongdae was sitting alone in the massive library that was shared between the two universities. The structure had been built tall enough to climb well above the river, so that the upper floors had a wonderful view of the bay. It was on the highest floor that he sat at one of the tables, furiously ploughing through his engineering homework that he was woefully behind on.

He’d long been ditched by Baekhyun, who had been “bored out of his mind,” and more recently by Minseok, who had a lecture to attend. Needless to say, he didn’t expect someone to slam a pile of old books and even older looking scrolls on the table beside him, nor did he expect Chanyeol to be the one sliding into the seat beside him.

“Hello friend,” Chanyeol said, as he tried to organize his pile of documents.

“Uh, hi?” Jongdae said, blinking slowly, eyeing the stack before him. “What’s with the scrolls?”

Chanyeol looked at his pile and then at Jongdae. “I was thinking, since it’s my research project anyway, that we look through a few of these old firebending scrolls to check and see if there’s anything helpful in them.”

Jongdae raised an eyebrow when he took a scroll and unrolled it, only to find archaic script and very primitive drawings of someone attempting to create a whirling disk. Or, at least, that’s what he assumed was happening. He’d learned the ancient script they’d used in the Fire Nation before a universal system was adopted, but he wasn’t exactly fluent.

“Come on, be a little optimistic. I’ve tried that move and it’s killer.”

“Doesn’t matter if I can’t make the fire to do it and trying to make lightning do that would be a disaster unless I charged something metal and did it.”

Chanyeol pouted, “Just give it a shot, please.”

It took approximately two seconds for Jongdae to break. How had he become so weak to such a silly, soft person and why didn’t he mind in the slightest? “Okay, I’ll take a look.”

Chanyeol grinned and started sifting through his pile for things to give to Jongdae, who smiled at his eagerness to share his knowledge and answer any questions Jongdae had. It was totally endearing.

Eventually, Jongdae was devouring scroll after scroll, glad he could read through most of it. He enjoyed sharing things he found interesting with Chanyeol, who occasionally took notes for his assignment. Jongdae also jotted down a few things here and there. His theory about the energy inside him was still nagging at him, and he sought anything that might help with that. The Sun Warriors were particularly good at explaining what he was looking for,

There were even pieces about lightning that he hadn’t even considered before. He quickly shared them with Chanyeol in case they helped with his own bending.

By the time the bells for dinner rang, they had only made it through half of what Chanyeol had brought, so they exchanged schedules to arrange time for further research. Jongdae was vaguely aware that these planned sessions were a lot like study dates, but he didn’t say anything on the matter. He was just happy to have something he and Chanyeol could work on together, outside the training yard.

–

With their recent study sessions, Jongdae and Chanyeol grew a lot closer, and their discussions about bending grew more detailed. Eventually, they reached a point where they were comfortable enough around each other to be freer with their comments and diverse with their conversation topics. Jongdae also found that he noticed more and more about Chanyeol that he’d never picked up on earlier, and soon learned Chanyeol had been doing the same with him.

“Jongdae, you’re clenching your jaw again. Anger and frustration are just as bad for firebending as they are for lightning because losing what drives that means weakening your bending,” Chanyeol called over from where he was making bizarre diagrams in the earth.

“Thanks for that!” Jongdae called, though he really wanted to exclaim that he was very well aware of that, having read through enough text that it was hammered into his brain. Chanyeol was right though, he’d been focusing so hard that his jaw was clenched and sore, just as his brows were furrowed deeply. His movements were also stiff and hesitant. These were all bad habits Chanyeol constantly reminded him of, ones he never would have noticed without someone watching carefully enough to point them out, instead of simply demanding him to repeat his steps over and over until he somehow produced fire.

When Jongdae decided it was time for a break, he made his way to the sink to wash away the sweat and took a nice long drink of water, Chanyeol followed and did the same. They both sat down on one of the benches, the one Kyungsoo usually occupied when he was there.

“I take it this is related to was what you meant when you said your mother tried to force it out of you,” Chanyeol said after a pause, referring to the amount of practice Jongdae had evidently put into firebending, even without fire. “I didn’t want to point it out earlier, because it seemed like a touchy subject. If you don’t want to talk, it’s totally okay,” he added hastily.

Jongdae shrugged, not looking at Chanyeol. “It’s fine, it’s not like I’m hiding anything, not from anyone who already knows the big secret. You’re right though, I mean, she was doing it for my own good, but I don’t think she really knew what that meant. Getting out of that mindset that I need to bend at all costs is…hard.”

“No offense, but that’s no way to treat a kid. It wasn’t your fault you couldn’t do it,” Chanyeol said, his anger fierce, and genuine, and Jongdae softened a little.

“It took a long time for me to learn that,” Jongdae said quietly. “I was so upset with myself that I couldn’t do it. You’ve seen all of the sequences I’ve memorized, that isn’t even all of the ones I have memorized from doing them over and over. I tried so hard to get her to accept me, but even when I got everything down I was still lacking.”

“But what about the lightning bending?” Chanyeol asked, his head cocked.

“Ha, as if that counts. I can’t carry on family tradition if I can’t even do the basics. Only being able to perform techniques few master in their lifetime wasn’t going to cut it. So, what if the royal family could do it? It wasn’t _our_ way,” Jongdae said bitterly.

“I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Life isn’t fair Chanyeol, we just make do. I spent all my time sneaking around with Minseok and figuring out lightning bending on my own. It was my one solace in between all of the misery.” Jongdae walked over to the row of sinks and took another long drink of water. He felt Chanyeol’s eyes on him the entire time, knowing that he wore a look of sympathy.

“I’m sorry, please don’t misunderstand. The lightning was the best thing that ever happened to me. It was something that separated me from all of that. I just want to do this and overcome the overwhelming notion that I can’t, and never will be able to do it,” Jongdae let the words tumble from his mouth, finding that they were completely true. This was what he wanted to do, and he was going to do it for himself, and no one else.

Chanyeol remained silent as he regarded Jongdae. He was no longer faced with sympathy, it had been replaced pride for his friend. Jongdae hadn’t expected how deeply that would touch him.

“So, what about you?” Jongdae asked, wiping his mouth. He was eager to move on; there was only so long he could tolerate talking about his own past, and only so long he could stand having Chanyeol look at him like that without feeling like his heart was about to burst.

“Me? Haha, nothing so brutal. My mother owns a restaurant on one of the smaller islands in the Fire Nation. I spent my childhood looking for old scrolls and ruins to bury myself in, bothering the Fire Sages as much as I could. One time I made it all the way to the Western Air Temple and my sister nearly throttled me when I got back home. She’s a radio host in our area of the islands now.” Chanyeol had a fond expression on his face and Jongdae felt a little envious. He had always wished for a family like that.

“That sounds nice,” Jongdae said with a smile, “I’d like to meet them one day.” Envious as he was, Chanyeol’s past was why he was like this today.

“It was pretty chaotic. I was lucky to get a scholarship; somehow they liked what I had to say about bending and my self-led research on old forms,” Chanyeol said with pride.

Jongdae started itching to get started again at the mention of forms. “That’s all fine and well, but what kind of researcher are you, if you can’t explain it so that someone, with no idea how it all works, can understand.”

Chanyeol gaped at him, at a loss for words. It was a little mean of Jongdae, knowing full well Chanyeol could hardly poke fun at him after all he had just heard.

“I’m kidding. Let’s get back to work.” Jongdae said with a grin. Chanyeol’s cheeks were red as he walked over to where he’d been scribbling in the dirt, muttering under his breath.

–

As the days went by, the weather was beginning to grow cooler as fall crept closer. Jongdae and Chanyeol had decided to meet at the training yard more frequently for shorter sessions, so that they weren’t staying late into the evening once they grew darker. The cold was less of an issue, with their constant motion and the heat of the fire. Kyungsoo occasionally made a massive rock dome to keep out the winds and the worst of the cold. Jongdae was also grateful, because shorter sessions meant he had more time for homework and sleep.

At some point, during one of their days off, Chanyeol dragged Jongdae to an equipment shop to get his own fireproof gear, with better coverage and heat resistance than the basic school sets. Chanyeol paid for all of it, insisting that he was taking responsibility for Jongdae’s safety. He deliberately stared at Jongdae’s latest burn mark from the night before, as if to make his point clear. He also knew very well Jongdae that couldn’t afford it on his own, so even when Jongdae protested, Chanyeol stalked towards the counter with the set, ignoring him, and had everything paid for in record time.

Jongdae hated mooching off Chanyeol but he had been so sincere about wanting to help, that Jongdae was touched, and perhaps a little whipped. He couldn’t keep a smile off his face as Chanyeol handed him the bag with a grin. Even his guilt couldn’t dampen his happiness.

For a while now, they had a sort of routine developed before practice started. As soon as Chanyeol sent off his students, they’d help each other stretch and help increase the flow of chi through their bodies. After that, they’d pull on their gear and warm up. Chanyeol would actually bend fire through certain exercises, and Jongdae would do the motions as if he could. Of course, Chanyeol, being Chanyeol, couldn’t resist showing off and would exaggerate his motions just to make his flames more impressive.

Jongdae was fine being the better person and ignoring this sort of thing until it became truly unbearable about ten more minutes into their session, but he was having none of that today. He adjusted the motions, releasing quick bolts of lightning that easily dissipated. The last he sent into Chanyeol’s side, causing him to yelp and fall over.

“You didn’t need to zap me! I was just having fun!” Chanyeol pouted.

“You were showing off,” Jongdae said. He continued onto the fire squats without another word.

Chanyeol got up and started doing the same. They were silent for a few moments before Chanyeol muttered, “It’s not like you weren’t showing off either,” under his breath.

Jongdae was about to speak when Kyungsoo walked into the training arena carrying his backpack full of books. He spent a lot of his time supervising while doing homework, and Jongdae couldn’t blame him. It was mid-term season and they were all swamped with work. 

“Getting along as usual I see?” Kyungsoo said when he saw Jongdae hovering over Chanyeol, a rant ready to fall from the tip of his tongue.

Jongdae immediately prepared to whine to Kyungsoo, but he was cut off again when Kyungsoo said, “I’m not here to be a chaperone you know.”

Chanyeol spun towards Kyungsoo and asked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kyungsoo looked at him as if trying to make him figure it out himself. Chanyeol was just as set in his ways and would not budge until he got an answer.

Jongdae kicked Chanyeol lightly. “He’s not going to explain if you act like that.”

Chanyeol gave him a look of betrayal. As if they’d be on the same side just because Kyungsoo was involved. But Jongdae was already in a petty mood and Chanyeol’s fire squat count was much higher than Jongdae’s. He was also huge, meaning he had to bend even further down. It wasn’t fair.

Chanyeol nudged him hard enough that he lost his balance and had to take a few steps to get it back.

Kyungsoo merely watched the two of them during this exchange until they settled down and had returned their attention to him. “You two are acting like children,” he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He looked like he was about to add something else but turned back to his books instead.

Chanyeol stuck his tongue out and Jongdae gave him the finger, before they resumed their exercises. Jongdae knew they were acting like children, they always did. It beat failing over and over again, until they were both depressed enough to go eat away the pain and their cash. This time, they proceeded to annoy Kyungsoo enough that day, as a means of venting their frustrations, that Kyungsoo snapped his book shut, and storming out of the school, cursing their names under his breath as he stalked towards the station.

Chanyeol and Jongdae laughed so hard they fell over, lying beside each other in the dirt all covered with dust. The last straw had been forcing Kyungsoo to bend rocks for their safety, just to break them up until there was a collection of giant dick-shaped rocks that Kyungsoo couldn’t destroy fast enough.

“You think he’ll come back?” Jongdae asked, breathlessly. He realized he was face to face with Chanyeol, both of their heads resting on the ground. It was a new angle, and once Jongdae started mapping Chanyeol’s face this way, he couldn’t stop, especially not when Chanyeol was this close.

Chanyeol, it seemed, was watching him just as closely. A heavy silence hung between them. Chanyeol swallowed and Jongdae followed the movement of his neck, wondering why he was so fascinated.

The moment was ruined when Jongdae sneezed and Chanyeol snorted at how loud it was, and their conversation continued as if that awkward moment had never happened.

“Of course he will,” Chanyeol said with a grin, “Maybe not today, but he likes us too much to ditch us now.”

“You sure about that?” Jongdae said, fiddling with the buckles of his gear, until they started to come apart. He could feel Chanyeol’s eyes on him, but he didn’t dare look up until Chanyeol faced skyward again.

“Well,” Chanyeol said with deliberation, “He hasn’t ditched me yet, so I figure I’m stuck with him forever now.”

Jongdae gave him a short tap on the side. “Hey!” Chanyeol said, frowning.

“That was for Kyungsoo. I can see why he hasn’t left yet, it’s really not so bad, sticking around.” Jongdae said, with a half-smile.

“What?” Chanyeol’s expression went blank.

Jongdae was too far in to stop not. “Being stuck with you, it’s not so bad. I haven’t left either and we’ve gotten nowhere with all of this practicing.”

“I should hope not, I have a reputation to uphold as one of the friendliest people on campus,” Chanyeol said haughtily, but his cheeks were a little pink. “And I didn’t cause any big explosions today.”

Jongdae laughed and hopped onto his feet. “Let’s get going,” he said, He offered a hand to Chanyeol who grabbed it, the surprising weight nearly knocking Jongdae over until he caught his balance enough to pull Chanyeol up.

Chanyeol’s hand lingered on his just a little too long. His hands engulfed Jongdae’s, making it hard to pull back. Yet another tiny moment of awkwardness, filled with that same tension as before. Said tension became something they both carried onto the street car, through the campus, and into their respective dorms, where they both tried to understand what exactly that moment meant. 

For Jongdae, it was something electric. It coursed through him like lightning, but he couldn’t let it go. He couldn’t quite figure it out, but the way the current flowed through him was pleasantly warm and he went to bed with a smile on his face. He was later told that said smile had stayed on his face all night and that he scared the living daylights out of Baekhyun when he woke for his early class.

–

“I’m coming tonight, I can’t take this anymore,” Baekhyun suddenly proclaimed, as he settled down across from Jongdae and Minseok at the table for Breakfast. He looked a little tired and disgruntled, like he had very little sleep and had woken up in a hurry. It was surprising to see him so enthusiastic about something when he was half-asleep.

“Coming where?” Jongdae asked through a mouthful of food, earning him a disapproving look from Minseok. He swallowed before continuing. “And why do you look like shit?”

“First of all, I never look like shit. Second, I was up all night because you were smiling like a creepy loser in your sleep, it was weird,” Baekhyun said, glaring at Jongdae over his eggs.

Minseok started snickering but when Baekhyun and Jongdae looked at him for an explanation, he waved his hand to shoo them off and kept eating. His face settled into a mask of calm as he peeled a banana very carefully.

Jongdae turned back to Baekhyun. “If it was so creepy, why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because I didn’t want to hear you whine about me waking you up,” Baekhyun said, knowing full well Jongdae couldn’t even refute that; it had happened countless times before and that wasn’t about to change anytime soon. “I did eventually give up and try but you were sleeping like the dead and would not wake up.”

“So, what do you want me to do about this?” Jongdae asked, getting back to why this entire conversation started in the first place. Arguing about his and Baekhyun’s respective sleep habits only led to frustration.

“Well,” Baekhyun said, swallowing a mouthful of bacon, “I don’t really care about your creepy sleep smile anymore, but I want to go see what’s making you smile like that, so I’m going to your training place with you tonight.”

Jongdae stilled, trying to imagine Baekhyun in the training hall, being reintroduced to Kyungsoo and Chanyeol, and seeing everything they’ve been up to. There was no real reason to keep Baekhyun from coming with him, he wanted to show his friends his progress. He also wanted to introduce his school friends to his training friends. However, knowing Baekhyun, he probably had some sort of ulterior reason for his visit.

Jongdae narrowed his eyes. “Why?” he asked, keeping careful watch over any change in Baekhyun’s expression.

“What? I’m not allowed to make sure my roommate, and wonderful friend, Jongdae, is being treated right by these strangers?” Baekhyun said, his tone scandalized, but his face arranged in a cheeky grin. “You’re not going to convince me otherwise Jongdae, I’m the one that sent you there, so I know the area,” he added, the satisfaction of a sure victory slipping into his smile.

“Looks like you’re stuck with him,” Minseok said, finishing off the end of his banana. 

“Wanna come with?” Baekhyun asked Minseok.

Minseok only laughed and tidied up his tray. “I can’t, Yixing and I are going to practice our own bending. Have fun and tell me everything,” he said. He exchanged a meaningful look with Baekhyun when asking for a retelling, and then left.

“If you say anything stupid I will not hesitate to zap you,” Jongdae muttered and crunched down on his bacon.

Baekhyun only laughed. Jongdae made that threat so often it had lost any kind of power. “I’ll see you later!” Baekhyun said before he too was off.

–

Jongdae walked out of the factory at the end of his shift to find Baekhyun standing by the door, waiting. He was wearing well-worn clothes that were similar to Jongdae’s, not the fine ones he wore in the nicer districts by the university, and blended right in.

“Hey stranger,” Baekhyun said with a wave of his hand. The chattering of his teeth shattered his facade of nonchalance, and, at the nearest opportunity, he latched onto Jongdae as if he was trying to leech as much warmth from him as physically possible.

Jongdae struggled to push him off, but he would not be moved. “One day I’m going to throw you into the bay,” Jongdae muttered, adjusting himself so that he could actually walk with Baekhyun’s arms wrapped around him.

“I forgot it was cold near the ocean,” Baekhyun said with a pout. He leaned his head onto Jongdae’s shoulder and huddled closer.

Jongdae jerked Baekhyun forward into a walk before commenting, “The university is on the water.”

“So?”

Jongdae took a deep breath. They were walking considerably slower than Jongdae usually did because Baekhyun was attached to him, and because he wanted to postpone this meeting of friends for as long as possible. It was fortunate that the skyline at this time of night was a good enough reason to walk slowly and take in the view.

When they started getting close, Jongdae figured he better prepare Baekhyun for what was about to come. “Being in the training area is dangerous because of the explosions, you’re going to have to stay near Kyungsoo, so he can put up a wall quickly if you’re in danger,” Jongdae explained.

“Kyungsoo is the grumpy earthbender with the short hair, right?” Baekhyun asked.

“That would be him,” Jongdae said, nodding.

Baekhyun frowned, “I don’t know if I like that idea.”

“He’s nice once you get to know him. Just don’t annoy him and you’ll be fine,” Jongdae paused and Baekhyun looked at him quizzically. “I lied you might not be fine, but I’ll try and hold him back as best I can,” Jongdae said as soon as he imagined Baekhyun acting like his spectacular self that close to Kyungsoo.

“What kind of people are you making friends with?” Baekhyun asked, giving Jongdae a concerned look.

Jongdae smiled at him, “People like you,” he said, extracting himself from Baekhyun’s clutches while he was distracted by the insult.

Baekhyun opened his mouth to retaliate, but the words died on his tongue as they were interrupted.

“Jongdae!” Chanyeol called from the entrance to the school, before he squinted and added, “And friend!”

Jongdae laughed and waved back, picking up his pace as he made for the entrance. He didn’t miss Baekhyun’s raised eyebrows at his eager reaction, but he preferred to let the nice electricity-like feeling buzz through him rather than think too much about it.

Jongdae quickly ushered Baekhyun past Chanyeol and into the training yard, giving them little space to talk. Everyone at the school had already left for the day save for Kyungsoo, who was drinking from a bottle and looking at Baekhyun curiously.

Chanyeol had followed the other two inside and wore a similar look of curiosity as he looks over Baekhyun from head to toe. Baekhyun, being Baekhyun, was preening at the attention, and didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

“Look any more and I’ll start charging,” Baekhyun said, startling Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol looked to Jongdae for help. Jongdae let out a laugh and said, “Chanyeol this is my friend Baekhyun. He forced me to bring him here and is thus unwanted.” Baekhyun shot him a glare, but Jongdae just continued, “Baekhyun this is Chanyeol, the guy teaching me firebending, and that’s Kyungsoo over there, our supervisor and damage control expert.” He pointed to Chanyeol and Kyungsoo respectively as he introduced them.

Kyungsoo nodded and waved his hand from where he was organizing some of the tools the kids had been using during lessons and then went back to work. Jongdae had honestly expected more of a reaction, but he supposed this was fine too.

“Doesn’t talk much?” Baekhyun asked.

“If you really try he has a lot to say,” Chanyeol said, and Jongdae jabbed him in the side. A cranky Kyungsoo was never a good thing, and tempting fate was a bad idea.

–

The rest of the lesson went as expected. With Baekhyun there, they had a never-ending stream of commentary as they worked. He used every excuse to make innuendos and heckle the two firebenders while they interacted with one another. When Jongdae touched him to adjust Chanyeol’s form again, Baekhyun gave a loud whistle. It was obnoxious enough for Kyungsoo to go deal with it personally. At some point, Jongdae even zapped him to get him to stop.

Sweaty, exhausted, and irritated, Jongdae was quite ready to head back to the dorms and smother Baekhyun in his sleep. His cheeks still burned from a comment that had involved the word “stimulated” and what was definitely an allusion to masturbating that Chanyeol had kindly brushed off.

Chanyeol seemed quite taken with Baekhyun and laughed at most of his jokes, which only encouraged him to make more. He was so taken that he invited him out for noodles with the three of them, much to the great dismay of Jongdae and Kyungsoo, who also looked like he’d had enough of Byun Baekhyun for the evening, and possibly the next decade.

They were easily the loudest group in the restaurant. Jongdae couldn’t exactly help himself but with the addition of Baekhyun, the volume only escalated. Kyungsoo was very pointedly making threatening glances at the three of them as soon as they sat down. Those glances continued throughout the meal, with the addition of the violent, stab-like use of his chopsticks.

Oblivious to Kyungsoo’s murderous intent, Baekhyun happily chatted away. “So,” he asked, “Does Jongdae ever talk about me behind my back?”

“Oh yes, he mentions you a lot,” Chanyeol said through his food.

Kyungsoo smirked and added, “He said you think you’re a lot funnier than you actually are.”

Baekhyun punched Jongdae’s shoulder and said primly, “Then he would be wrong and should look forward to something unpleasant in the near future.”

“I…see. Well since he laughed at me earlier, I’d say he deserves it.”

“I like the way you see things.” Baekhyun extended a hand to Chanyeol and they shook with a look of mutual understanding that Jongdae didn’t like at all but Kyungsoo seemed to find amusing.

“Yeah, well Baekhyun you’re banned from coming with me from now on.” Jongdae said into his noodles.

“You do know I can just show up on my own, right?” Baekhyun said, leaning in so he could better meet Jongdae’s face. “I don’t need your permission to come and visit my good friend Kyungsoo here.” Kyungsoo grimaced at the touch.

“And I can do horrible things to your bed in the dorm room and blame it on an electrical fire,” Jongdae said, a little too venomously,

Baekhyun hmphed. “Okay fine, but you’re reporting back and we can all still go out for noodles together, I’ll bring Minseok next time.” To Kyungsoo, he said, “You’ll like him, he’s sensible.”

“Sounds good to me,” Chanyeol said, swallowing before he spoke.

Soon they returned to the school and parted, getting each other’s schedules so they could better organize nights to eat out. As prickly as he was about tonight, Jongdae liked the prospect of having a larger group of friends to eat with. It was so much livelier than anything he’d experienced before.

After giving Minseok a brief update on what had happened earlier that night, he and Baekhyun returned to their room and Baekhyun went unusually quiet. They undressed and bathed in relative silence because Baekhyun appeared to be thinking deeply about something and not in the mood for conversation. Jongdae was too tired to try and pry it out of him, so he waited to see if he’d reveal it himself.

“You should go for it,” Baekhyun said abruptly as he got into bed.

Jongdae looked over his shoulder at Baekhyun, mind already clouded with sleep. “What are you even talking about?”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Chanyeol. Are you an idiot? He clearly likes you and you clearly like him back. I say you go for it. That tension is maddening, I have no idea how Kyungsoo stands it. I’d die of frustration.”

Jongdae was considerably more awake by the time Baekhyun’s speech ended. “What do you mean?” he asked again, his voice sharper.

“You know what I mean.”

“What did you mean when you said I like him, and he likes me?” Jongdae elaborated.

“Exactly,” Baekhyun said, still not answering the question

Jongdae sat up properly and huffed. “Baek, just tell me, I want to sleep.”

Baekhyun gave him a long flat look until Jongdae gave him what he wanted. 

“Fine,” Jongdae mumbled, “So maybe I do like him, I don’t know, it’s a new thing. Stop making me say things out loud.”

Baekhyun smiled, “There you go. Honestly you look at him like he’s the sun and giggle at half the things he says. Saying otherwise would convince no one.”

“Go to bed Baekhyun,” Jongdae said, not wanting to continue this any further.

“I wasn’t lying when I said he likes you back, it’s just as obvious. Kyungsoo agreed when I mentioned it to him,” Baekhyun said to Jongdae’s back.

Jongdae didn’t respond but he could feel his heart leap. He couldn’t bring himself to feed Baekhyun’s need to interfere anymore, so he remained silent. At the same time, the electric feeling only intensified as warmth spread through him. He’d long gotten into the practice of never getting his hopes up but in this case, he might allow himself a little more freedom.

–

“Chanyeol, you’re not going to get it if you do that,” Jongdae called from where he was standing, trying to make even the smallest flame appear in his hand. He could hardly focus with the racket Chanyeol was making.

Chanyeol was already in a bad mood when their training session had started that day. It was something along the lines of missing an assignment and losing ten percent of his grade, but he’d mumbled it so quickly Jongdae barely caught what he had said. The weather did nothing to help matters. The cold was starting to bite, and it had been raining all day. Jongdae had tried to call off practice but Chanyeol wasn’t having it, so he had to suck it up and practice with numb fingers and wet clothes.

Because Kyungsoo wasn’t there to supervise, having an exam that evening, Jongdae was concerned something might happen if Chanyeol kept this up. Kyungsoo was good at managing an unwieldy Chanyeol in ways Jongdae had yet to learn.

With each failed explosion, Chanyeol let out a longer stream of explicatives. The lightning never came to him and the more he tried, the worse it got. Volatile and unstable was not conducive to lightning bending, but every time Jongdae chose to remind him of this, he merely huffed and brushed him off. It was all off-putting enough that Jongdae gave up on his own task.

Jongdae knew how irritated Chanyeol was at himself, being in a similar situation. Chanyeol wasn’t actually bad at this, coming up with his own ideas that, to Jongdae, were theoretically sound. Jongdae also knew that Chanyeol couldn’t keep going like this. He was going to get seriously hurt and Jongdae wasn’t sure if he could handle that.

Almost as soon as Jongdae thought it, he watched Chanyeol’s elbow lock in the wrong spot, his wrist at the wrong angle, and braced himself as a massive explosion erupted just beyond the tips of Chanyeol’s outstretched fingers. The force sent dust flying to the edges of the yard, debris scraping Jongdae as he immediately protected his ears above all else.

Jongdae didn’t care about the debris, his eyes were trained on the centre of the yard as he watched in horror at the sight of Chanyeol falling, skidding backwards with the force of the explosion. His arms had risen to cover his head and he let out an anguished sob before he went limp.

**_Past: 15 Years Old_ **

_Jongdae was dressed in his finest robes for their formal dinner with the Southern Water Tribe Ambassador and his family. Why he had to wear robes when they were so out of fashion, he had no idea. Besides, the Ambassador visited his mother all the time for business, it wasn’t like dinner with your neighbours had to be the most formal of affairs. He took solace in the fact that they were light, breezy summer robes, instead of the heavy winter ones._

_Neighbourly dinners were special for another reason; Jongdae was allowed to sit beside Minseok so long as they behaved. Jongdae knew his mother had only agreed to this arrangement because she knew he’d kick up a fuss otherwise. Minseok being high born was also a deciding factor in his mother’s decision, even if he came from a foreign country._

_Jongdae, Minseok, and Jongdae’s older brother were all supposed to do demonstrations as part of the evening’s festivities. Jongdae had no idea why this was a necessary part of their evening, especially when his mother considered him an embarrassment, but he supposed it was to show off his brother’s skills to their guests. Jondeok’s skills were worth showing off, and Jongdae was proud of his brother, he’d just rather stay out of it._

_Of course, if his brother was involved, Minseok had to be too. He was a fantastic waterbender and Jongdae could never get enough of watching him spinning water into ice spirals and back again. His smooth manipulations had been an inspiration to Jongdae in his efforts to master lightning bending._

_When it came to himself, Jongdae was well aware he had nothing to show. When his mother told him he was to participate, he shouted back at her. This had only earned him a slap. Humiliating him had become a common practice in his household and he should have expected no less._

_When Jongdae had complained about having to do the demonstration, Minseok had suggested he just bend lightning, like he usually did on the beach. Minseok’s awareness about the severity of the repercussions of doing this, preferring to keep his friend in the dark when it came to the worst of his punishment. He had to change that._

_Jongdae explained why that was a bad idea the day before. “She’ll bite my head off if I do that. The last time I did it I got in so much trouble. She wouldn’t let me leave my room or eat all day.”_

_Minseok frowned, “She can’t act like that forever, you just have to show her what you can do.”_

_“It’s not like that Minseok.”_

_“Just try,” he said, insistent. Jongdae knew he wasn’t going to get him to back down, so he decided to give in and let Minseok plan a demonstration for the two of them._

_When it was Minseok’s turn, Jongdae stood up as well, though his turn was to be at the end. They had all just watched his brother put on a magnificent display and expectations were high. Jongdae’s mother rose an eyebrow at him and nodded towards his seat, silently telling him to sit back down._

_Minseok saw the exchange and grabbed Jongdae’s wrist so he couldn’t back out on their plans. Jongdae’s heart was in his throat, knowing that his mother was already not happy about this from the creases in her forehead. Chastising Minseok was something she couldn’t do without insulting their neighbours, so she was forced to watch them ask Minseok’s parents for permission with a sour expression on her face._

_Walking across the hall to where they were to begin, Jongdae began to shake as his heart beat faster. He shot Minseok a nervous glance and received a reassuring smile that was only somewhat effective._

_At this point, Jongdae had nearly forgotten what to do. A hum from Minseok brought him back from his racing thoughts and into a bow towards the table. Minseok silently counted down from three, letting Jongdae read his lips. Together they began the dance they were so used to doing. Jongdae evading the waves of water Minseok bent around him, and Minseok blocking the crackling lightning with water or letting it fly through loops._

_Out of the corner of his eye, Jongdae caught the fury on his mother’s face and his heart stopped. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t move. Only a splash of freezing water drew him from his stupor. Remembering the dance, he prepared for the next step, his hands shaking._

_Everything was wrong. Jongdae knew this from the moment he began to produce the lightning. Anger and fear clouded his mind; his emotions were too unstable, keeping him from the calm and stability he needed. He braced himself for the incoming explosion before realizing that Minseok was standing far too close to be safe._

_“Minseok, shield!” Jongdae called out the same moment a huge explosion shook the hall._

_By some miracle, Minseok had noticed the horrified expression on Jongdae’s face and had acted without thinking. He was familiar with Jongdae’s failures enough to notice the signs. He threw up a thin shield of water to catch the worst of the blast, but both he and Jongdae suffered burns and abrasions nonetheless._

_They both sat on the floor, hissing in pain. The smile Minseok offered to show that it was fine only hurt Jongdae further. Guilt has set in the moment he realized Minseok was in danger._

_Jongdae’s mother was furious. This was the last straw, he already knew it. He’d be lucky if he ever saw Minseok again despite his apologies and reassurances from Minseok’s parents. All elements were dangerous and had their own issues. It wasn’t like he hadn’t accidentally given himself or Jongdae frostbite at some point. That wasn’t at the core of her anger though. It was her frustration about his fascination with lightning instead of the fire she worked hard to make him produce. It was also the shame he brought to the family because of it, shame he wasn’t even sure actually existed._

_From that night onwards, restrictions increased, as did the amount of time he was forced to practice. His mother never forgave him for this, and her efforts to keep him from bending lightning increased tenfold until she told him to leave._

**_Present: 21 Years Old_ **

The memory came to him fast, hitting hard. Not being allowed to bend freely, he often forgot the dangers of bending lightning. Sure, Chanyeol had been causing explosions from the start without his help, but he was a gifted enough bender that he was relatively safe from the worst of the danger. With Jongdae’s decision to help came responsibility for what came of it. He felt guilt curl in his stomach. He wished he had emphasized the dangers, wishing he had recalled the memory sooner.

Jongdae’s brain finally caught up with the present and he began to move immediately. He sprinted to the office, grabbed the first aid kit above the desk, and raced over to Chanyeol’s fallen body. Anxiety filled his throat before he made himself look closer at Chanyeol’s body. At first glance, all Jongdae could see was blood and red skin, unable to focus on everything else. Jongdae was somewhat familiar with blast wounds, but he’d never had to deal with one this big. and wasn’t sure what kind of damage it would cause.

Overwhelmed, Jongdae centered himself, and recalled the first aid training they had done in the officers’ route. He dropped to his knees to check for signs that Chanyeol was still awake. He was relieved to hear Chanyeol drawing one ragged breath after another. “Chanyeol,” Jongdae said, loudly and clearly. Chanyeol only groaned, too incoherent to speak. It was enough for Jongdae to keep going.

Chanyeol had burn wounds on his cheek and forehead, with several spots bleeding from the explosion. He had some wounds on his neck and his hands were a disaster, but his gear had protected him from the worst of it. Jongdae suspected that the real pain came from being blown backwards so quickly and hitting his head on the ground. However, even with the wounds being better than Jongdae had expected, he still needed medical help immediately.

“Chanyeol, wake up. _Please_.” Jongdae said, pressing bandages from the kit onto the worst of his wounds to stop the bleeding. He’d already cleaned and bandaged the smaller ones, but the gash on his head wouldn’t stop. He bemoaned the fact that he couldn’t bend any element that would be useful right now, either in healing him or helping him get to a clinic–he tried calling an ambulance, but they were short staffed and not willing to come out to the docks at this time of night.

Unable to do anything but provide basic care, Jongdae had never felt so helpless. He would have been more vocal in his frustration were he not concerned about disturbing Chanyeol, who had finally stopped moaning after Jongdae had given him a packet of pain medication and a glass of water. Jongdae had allowed Chanyeol to use his lap as a pillow while he figured out what he was going to do.

“Jongdae?” a familiar voice called from the entrance.

Jongdae spun around, startled. Minseok was standing in the shadows of the entrance, taking in the sight before him. By the confused expression on his face, this wasn’t what he expected to see.

Jongdae forgot he’d invited his friend over to the training yard once he’d finished with his classes for the evening.

“Jongdae, are you okay?” Minseok asked, his eyes widening as he moved forward. “What happened?”

“Chanyeol he–” Jongdae began, pointing towards where Chanyeol was lying on the ground.

Minseok quickly gathered up water from one of the sinks and let it flow over towards Chanyeol. Once he reached the body, he enveloped his hands in water and put them over the worst burns and then the spot where Chanyeol had hit his head.

“You did well with the first aid, but you know I’m not that great at healing Jongdae. I only learned because we were idiots as kids and you kept burning yourself. My mother wouldn’t teach me beyond the basics because of the whole “only women can be healers” thing. “We have to get him to a professional,” Minseok said, doing the best he could to stop the bleeding and seal the worst of the abrasions.

Jongdae nodded and ran to grab the stretcher they had at the training hall for injuries even the healer on hand couldn’t handle. With two people they should be able to get Chanyeol to the healer a few streets over.

It was hard work rolling Chanyeol onto the stretcher and then balancing his weight between them, but they were soon on their way. Jongdae was going so fast Minseok could scarcely keep up, but he kept silent knowing how worried Jongdae was. Jongdae appreciated his quiet thoughtfulness more than he could say

Once the ordeal was over, and Chanyeol had been placed in the hands of a grumpy healer who was not happy to have a client show up at this hour, he and Minseok sat on two of the chairs in the waiting room. “I’m sorry you had to do that,” Jongdae said quietly.

Minseok shook his head. “I’m just glad I made it there at that time. I always had a knack for timing.”

Jongdae shoved him. “Not funny.”

“Okay, okay, don’t be like that he’s completely fine. I know you were scared but he’s fine,” Minseok’s voice was reassuring enough, but his ability to gage how serious injuries were was what really convinced Jongdae that he could relax.

“It’s such a dangerous element, how did I forget that. I didn’t warn him enough I didn’t–”

“And now he knows,” Minseok said. “You can’t change the past. He learned this lesson the hard way, but at the very least he did learn it. You can’t do anything now except apologize and teach him again properly.”

Jongdae nodded.

Minseok gave him a one-armed hug. “You wait here for him, I’m going to go pick up a few things I need from downtown and head home. I’m sorry I can’t stay but I need these for class tomorrow morning.”

“It’s fine, he didn’t injure his legs, so we can probably leave and catch a taxi up to the school,” Jongdae said, waving off his apology. 

Without Minseok there, Jongdae felt himself grow more and more tense as he waited for Chanyeol to get out. The silence of the waiting room was stifling, and he’d skimmed through every newspaper they had out for light reading.

After what seemed like an age, Chanyeol walked out of the clinic covered in bandages. Most of the small cuts were completely gone and the ones beneath the bandages were likely nearly finished healing.

“Chanyeol,” Jongdae said as soon as he saw him.

Chanyeol looked down to where Jongdae was seated on one of the chairs outside. “Hey,” Chanyeol said. He sounded exhausted. “Were you waiting outside the whole time?”

“Chanyeol you were unconscious when we brought you here, what do you think?”

“Ah, right,” Chanyeol said, scratching at his neck. “Thanks for bringing me here. I’m uh sorry I didn’t listen to you.” His cheeks were pink, and his neck bowed with guilt.

Jongdae reached out to grab his hand. “No, I should have explained better. I know how frustrating it can be to try so hard and not get it right.”

“No, Jongdae I knew the consequences of trying to bend lightning while like that, it’s not your fault. You and your friend helped me a lot. Thank you.” Chanyeol pulled Jongdae to his feet and wrapped him in a tight hug. He hissed a little as Jongdae brushed against one of his wounds, but he stayed there for a while.

Jongdae wrapped his own arms around Chanyeol, tightening them just as Chanyeol had. The familiar smell of smoke and spices filled his nose and the warmth radiating from Chanyeol’s chest felt delicious in the cool waiting room.”

“You’re such an idiot,” Jongdae said into Chanyeol’s shoulder.

Chanyeol laughed and Jongdae felt the vibrations through his own chest. “Don’t I know it. Won’t be doing that again any time soon. Let’s focus on your bending for a while until I’m healed up. We have exams to study for anyway.”

Chanyeol pushed back to look at Jongdae’s face and see his reaction. Jongdae merely nodded, but Chanyeol took that as success and smiled.

Jongdae wound up having to call a taxi due to the fact that Chanyeol was a little too drugged to be wandering the streets until they found a streetcar station. Once they were back at the school, Jongdae walked Chanyeol to his dorm and had the person at the desk call for Kyungsoo, who came rushing down the stairs.

Jongdae gave him a run-through of what happened and how to care for Chanyeol. Kyungsoo thanked him and then sent him on his way, having noticed he was dead on his feet.

–

With Chanyeol injured, Jongdae had a few days to himself in order to catch up on homework. He’d agreed with Kyungsoo that they should prioritize work for a while, so Jongdae only made fast trips to the power station twice a week. His pay had risen once it was clear he was a consistent contributor to the plant and the foreman couldn’t be any more pleased with him.

“I’ve missed you,” Baekhyun said, clinging tightly to Jongdae while he tried to get homework done in the library. “You’re never around anymore.”

“What are you talking about? I live with you.” Jongdae shrugged him off so he could actually see what he was working on.

Baekhyun flicked Jongdae’s forehead so hard he yelped with pain, earning a few more dirty looks than usual in the quiet of the library. “That’s not the same, we never hang out anymore. Even Minseok is languishing.”

“I can always make more time.”

“Sure you can, though a little bird told me you use a lot of extra time to hang around with a certain firebender you’re basically in love with.” Baekhyun sat down in the chair beside Jongdae, who now knew what this was really about.

“I don’t want to talk about it, I’m not in love with anyone,” Jongdae said, adding a few strokes to the diagram he was working on.

Baekhyun barked out a loud laugh, enough to earn him a shout from one of the other students. “Jongdae you can’t be serious. Minseok told me what happened the other day. You were so dramatic about a few burns. One would have thought he was on his deathbed.”

Jongdae felt his face heating up. “So? Of course, I’m going to act like that for my friends.”

“Uh, hey,” a deep voice said, its owner approaching.

Jongdae gulped. “Chanyeol!” he said brightly.

“I thought I might find you here and wanted to see if we could study together but if you’re still busy talking I can go somewhere else.” Chanyeol laughed nervously. From the look on his face Jongdae guessed he’d heard quite a bit of that conversation. Baekhyun’s conniving smile wasn’t helping.

Jongdae shoved Baekhyun, whose conniving smile wasn’t helping, and said, “It’s fine, he was just leaving. I’d be glad to have a study partner who actually studies.”

Chanyeol glanced around before taking a hesitant step towards the table. His face was blank as he sat down and spread his books and scrolls about him.

Jongdae squeezed Baekhyun’s thigh where Chanyeol couldn’t see. He heard Baekhyun’s squeak of pain and tightened his lips to keep his satisfaction from showing.

“I’ll just be leaving then, since I apparently have things to do and places to be,” Baekhyun said, his voice icy. He made sure to whack Jongdae with his bag as he pulled it up from where it hung around the chair. Chanyeol watched him go silently and Jongdae wished he’d do something.

When Baekhyun was gone, the ruffling of papers and the sliding of metal against metal of Jongdae’s electrical project were the only sounds breaking the silence of the mostly-empty top floor of the library. Every so often, Jongdae felt Chanyeol watching him carefully, pretending he wasn’t. Jongdae wondered if Chanyeol was aware he was doing the same. The longer they kept at it, the heavier the silence became until Jongdae could feel the pressure to say something, anything, just to make it stop.

“Did you mean what you said?” Chanyeol asked, his voice quiet and anxious. He wasn’t looking at Jongdae, preferring an old diagram of an earthbender manipulating lava.

Jongdae’s tweezers slipped and hit a live wire, shocking him into dropping them. “Fuck–mean what?” He asked, sucking on his finger.

Chanyeol raised his head and gave him a pointed look.

“I don’t know yet,” Jongdae said, meeting Chanyeol’s eyes. He eyed Chanyeol’s hand on the table and was tempted to grab it. He knew the real answer to Chanyeol’s question, he also knew he wasn’t ready to give it yet.

Chanyeol’s face fell. He leaned back and wrapped his hands around another scroll, tight enough to crinkle the paper. “I see.”

“I might know at some point though,” Jongdae found himself saying moments later. He met Chanyeol’s eyes, hoping Chanyeol understood what he was trying to say, what he couldn’t say yet.

Chanyeol blinked. “I guess I can wait,” was all he said.

The silence after that was a lot more comfortable.

–

The day after their conversation in the library was Thursday. It was to be the first training session Chanyeol would attend since his injury on Sunday. Jongdae had expected to welcome Chanyeol back happily but as soon as he walked through the gate and caught sight of Chanyeol, he felt as uneasy as he had in the library. He said nothing though.,

“You ready for today?” Chanyeol asked, putting away a few hoops Jongdae supposed were used during his lecture.

Jongdae dropped his bag of gear on a bench. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Chanyeol gave a breathy laugh, “Come on, you can muster a little more energy than that. You have all my attention to yourself today.”

“Yes esteemed master, share with me your wisdom,” Jongdae said, bowing deeply.

Chanyeol’s chuckle was deeper, more genuine. “What an excellent pupil. For today’s lesson you’re going to start with firesquats and firefists until I say stop. Do your imagery exercises. I have paperwork to do.”

Jongdae’s mouth fell open in protest. He might have a nice ass, but he couldn’t keep doing firesquats forever. “Chanyeol I–”

“Need to work on imagery training without dragging yourself through your childhood trauma and focus specifically on the fire. Get started.”

Jongdae scowled and turned to the yard. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Chanyeol smiling at him fondly and felt himself flush. Jongdae knew this was for his own good, that Chanyeol was thinking of him when he came up with his exercises, but seeing it written all over his face in an unguarded moment was something else entirely. Jongdae felt another piece in his heart fall into place.

Once Chanyeol was holed up in the school’s office with his paperwork, Jongdae began. He could already tell Chanyeol wasn’t going to go easy on him, but it did nothing to dampen his improved mood.

Jongdae tried to focus on the task at hand, narrowing in on his core and letting the energy, the flames, extend forth rather than pushing and pulling forces apart so he could manipulate it. If it comes from the breath it should flow outward as an extension of his own energy…or something. He reached for that energy he was used to splitting apart to make lightning once more, but it was hard to keep it all straight while one was doing squats. Eventually, he started chanting inside his head and as he did, so his hands started to heat up.

When he started the firefists, the sensation only intensified. He closed his eyes and listened to Chanyeol’s voice in his ear, which was significantly easier without him standing inches away. He could feel something different happening, something different than with the lightning. He was doing something differently than what came naturally with lightning and it seemed to be working this time.

He tried not to get too excited and continued what he was doing. He took one deep breath, punch and step, another deep breath, punch and step, another deep breath, punch and…a puff of purplish-blue flame extended from his fist for only a moment. It had been searing hot and close in colour to his lightning, but it was without a doubt fire.

Without getting too excited, he fell back into place and kept trying. He needed to capture what he felt before he produced it. After a few tries he managed another, and another. He let the power within him grow and flow out of him directly rather than channel it. Once he’d done it a few times, it all made sense.

Each flicker of fire that Jongdae sent forth was purple, edged with dark blue, and so hot it was hard to continue like this. His fire was in constant danger of burning him, ever so consistently a source of pain. It was almost funny. But, painful as it was, it was still fire. His fire. Fire that he had produced for the first time in his entire life. 

Jongdae started to laugh as he looked at a flame he’d caught in his hand. His inability to make the small purple fire he now held had been the cause of years of suffering. It became an ingrained part of his identity, one he could shed off for good now that his efforts proved fruitful. The result was warm and beautiful and something he couldn’t keep to himself.

“Chanyeol,” he said, voice catching with unexpected emotion. He cleared his throat and tried again, louder, “Chanyeol!” He got no response. He snuffed out the flame, too impatient to wait, and started running over to the office where Chanyeol was working. “Chanyeol!” he said, out of breath, hanging in the doorframe.

“What is it?” Chanyeol said, dropping papers everywhere.

Jongdae beamed, “I did it. I bent fire.”

“No.” Chanyeol breathed, his mouth agape.

“I did! Just now! I was doing the exercises and thinking and all of a sudden I felt like I had it and out came these blue-purple…indigo flames.” Jongdae nearly whacked his hand against the door in his effort to describe what had just happened with his hands. “Hold on, come with me, I’ll show you.

Chanyeol sat up immediately and followed Jongdae back out into the yard.

Jongdae took a moment to gather his thoughts and retain the feeling he had earlier when he’d produced the flames. He took a deep breath and tried not to think about Chanyeol standing there. It was remarkably easy to do in the excitement of the moment.

He could not produce fire on his first few tries, which was what he expected. He needed to get that feeling back into his system; he needed to lose his lightning bending instincts and keep the energy whole, so he could extend it outwards. Once it was there, he took a deep breath out and released a flame bigger than those previous.

A split second later Chanyeol raced towards him and enveloped him in a huge hug. “You did it! This is amazing! You’re amazing!”

Jongdae instinctive opened his arms and held Chanyeol just as tightly. He could feel tears burning in his eyes. He had been trying his entire life to make this happen and he’d finally done it thanks to the only person patient enough to have him work through what he wasn’t understanding and instruct him on his own level. He could never explain to Chanyeol how much it meant to him.

“Are you crying?” Chanyeol asked when he pulled back.

Jongdae shook his head, though even as he did so a tear fell from the corner of his eye. 

“Here take this,” Chanyeol reached into a pocket and pulled out a battered but clean handkerchief.

 _Who even carries handkerchiefs anymore?_ Jongdae wondered, taking it anyway and wiping away the tears. “I never cry,” he said with wonder.

“Why? I cry all the time. It’s why I have that in the first place.” Chanyeol nodded at the small bit of fabric.

Jongdae laughed wetly and muttered a thanks. Suddenly Chanyeol’s arms were around him again in another hug, this one was gentler than the last and made Jongdae feel warm and safe.

“I’m proud of you,” Chanyeol said from above. “You worked so hard for this, even though it was hard.”

Jongdae nearly started crying again. Not once had he heard those words from anyone. He gripped the fabric of Chanyeol’s shirt and buried his face into Chanyeol’s chest, ignoring how sweaty and gross he was and living in the moment.

When they parted, Jongdae didn’t quite know what to say or do. The warring emotions within him were beginning to exhaust him the more he ignored them. Chanyeol, however, continued to look at him with eyes that sparkled. He waited patiently for Jongdae to collect himself, which only made things worse.

When Jongdae was done, Chanyeol led him to a sink to wash his face, producing a towel when he was done.

“So, what now?” Jongdae asked, patting his skin dry.

Chanyeol’s brow furrowed in thought. He looked at Jongdae from top to bottom, making Jongdae feel self-conscious. “Well,” he said, “you’re not going to get any better if we leave at that. I think you should practice while you still remember the feeling.”

Jongdae nodded, placing the towel on the edge of the sink. “I think so too.”

“Excellent,” Chanyeol said with cheer. “It’s time for basic sequences!”

Jongdae blinked at the sudden change of pace. Rather than push against it he decided to give in to Chanyeol’s enthusiasm. “Of course, master!” Jongdae said with another exaggerated bow.

Chanyeol giggled.

Jongdae couldn’t remember being as happy as he was that night, bending fire over and over as Chanyeol laughed and praised and corrected him for hours. He felt like one of Chanyeol’s young pupils, having fun doing what he’d always wanted to do in a way he enjoyed. His heart was soaring, and it was thanks to Chanyeol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)


	5. Book Four - Combustion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating goes up to "E" this chapter :)

When Jongdae and Chanyeol returned to campus that evening, Jongdae wasted no time trying to get where he needed to be and hopped off the streetcar before it had stopped moving. Both Chanyeol and the conductor cried out in surprise, but Jongdae didn’t care. He had spent most of the ride in a curious state of shock and excitement that had him shifting and fidgeting until Chanyeol grabbed his hand to keep Jongdae’s mind and body occupied. As soon as his feet touched down, he was running through the lamplight in the direction of his dormitory, one goal in mind.

“Jongdae, where are you going?” Chanyeol called from the station, now far behind him.

“Have to tell Minseok, see you later Chanyeol! And thanks!” He shouted back, with a quick wave of his hand. He didn’t give Chanyeol a backwards glance. Jongdae knew he’d understand that he had other priorities.

The route back to the Military Sciences University dorms wasn’t long, though it was winding and littered with trees, and seemed to stretch on for an eternity. His urgency, bolstered by excitement, had him sprinting the entire way there, the chilly fall air whipping his cheeks and froze his lungs until each breath ached. For the final stretch he sped up, slowing just before he reached the building’s ornate 5-colour doors.

Before entering the building, Jongdae took a minute to catch his breath. His lungs screamed as he crouched down with his hands on his knees to stable himself. With time to think, he realized he hadn’t thought about what he was going to say to Minseok or any of the other logistics in his plan. He knew it didn’t matter much, and that Minseok would be happy for him regardless, but all the things he had to say felt too heavy, too precious to deliver carelessly. A few more breaths and nothing came to him, he would just have to let his emotions lead the way. That was probably for the best, he thought, as he pulled the huge brass door handle and slipped inside.

Jongdae climbed up the stairs that ringed the interior of the tower. During his hurried ascent, climbing two stairs at a time, he peered through the opening that led into each hallway of the dorm, keeping a careful eye open for Baekhyun. He felt guilty for not wanting his other friend to know immediately, but Minseok was so integral to his personal development that he felt he should be the first to know, Chanyeol aside. He was fortunate Baekhyun was nowhere to be found on his route to Minseok’s room.

Jongdae’s whole body was buzzing with anticipation. He’d secretly imagined being able to one day announce his success to his friend, but now that it was reality he didn’t know what to expect. He rapped on the door hard before he thought twice about it.

It took a moment, but the door slowly opened to reveal a very exhausted looking Minseok. He was wearing blue pyjamas and looked like he’d been about to fall asleep before Jongdae arrived. Jongdae felt a little guilty for bothering him so late at night, but there was no stopping him now.

“Jongdae? It’s almost midnight, did you just get back?” Minseok asked, leaning against the doorframe and stifling a yawn.

“Ah…yeah, we went a little longer than usual, had to catch the last car,” Jongdae said automatically, to ease the lines of concern on Minseok’s face.

Minseok nodded, yawning again. “Don’t stay out so late in the dark, idiot. So, was there something you needed?”

The ecstatic grin Jongdae had been holding back broke free. “I can firebend,” he said with all the pride and happiness he had. He nearly forgot he had to keep quiet about the whole bending business and lowered his voice when he added, “I did it during practice today, over and over and over again, it’s not a fluke. I can finally do it.”

Minseok’s eyes widened and he looked far more awake than he had just two seconds before. “Seriously?” he asked, “You really managed to firebend?” 

“Yeah,” Jongdae said, “I didn’t think it would ever happen, even with trying again on my own terms this time and I–” he could feel tears at the corners of his eyes again. 

He hated feeling this overwhelmed, but there was no helping it. The reality of what he’d just accomplished hadn’t quite settled in yet when he’d arrived at the school, or during his time on the streetcar. Now, as he looked into the face of the one person who truly knew what this meant to him, the weight of his accomplishment was hitting him like a train. Years of struggle and pain were over. Years of thinking he’d never be good enough, never be able to do what he should have been able to do from birth, never be whole in the way he was expected to be–they were all done. He had put an end to them himself through his own hard work because he wanted to do it, not because he was forced to. He opened his mouth again, but couldn’t find the words to voice how he felt.

Minseok smiled fondly and pulled him into a fierce hug. “I’m so proud of you,” he said, holding Jongdae tight. “You’ve been working hard at this since the day I met you, even when you didn’t like it. I was surprised when you said you wanted to try learning again, and that you were excited to give it a shot.”

Before Minseok could make the tears in his eyes fall, Jongdae pulled back so he could look at his friend properly. He quickly pressed the ends of his sleeves into his eyes to get rid of the tears that had collected there and brightened his expression. “And now I’ve managed to do it on my own, without their stupid traditional techniques.”

Minseok smiled, pretending like he hadn’t just been about to cry too, “You did. So, are you going to show me or what? I’ve been waiting to see you firebend since we were kids.”

“Why do you think I came all the way up here still dressed like this? Let’s find somewhere I can show you fast without being seen,” Jongdae said, tugging at Minseok’s arm.

“Yixing isn’t here right now, can’t you just show me quickly in my room?” Minseok asked, looking reluctant to go outside so late. “It’s just a little fire, and I have water if it gets out of hand.”

Jongdae pouted, “I wanted you to see me do one of my exercised but properly, with fire.”

Minseok rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t keep the smile from his face. “Fine. I’ll go put something on. You go meet me down at the entrance and think about where you want to do this, so you don’t get caught.”

Jongdae returned to the entrance of the dorms, making sure to take note of who was awake and where they were going. He eventually decided that the shaded area on the older, unused part of campus would be the best place to practice. That area was usually only used by people doing things they’d rather not be caught doing, so it was an unwritten rule to keep whatever happened there secret. It wasn’t long before Minseok was down at his side, wearing his uniform pants and his blue parka.

“It’s cold,” he said when Jongdae raised an eyebrow.

“You’re from the Southern Water Tribe. You know, at the South Pole?”

Minseok shoved him, “You and I both know I grew up in the Fire Nation. Are you going to show me or not?”

Jongdae tugged Minseok behind him until Minseok figured out where they were going on his own and started walking alongside Jongdae. They saw no one on their way there and Jongdae took it as a good sign.

“So, Master Firebender, please share with me your skills,” Minseok said once they were safely hidden in a grove of trees beside a section of building without windows. He gestured grandly for Jongdae to begin.

Jongdae gave him a flat look, but then smiled to himself. With effort, recalled how he’d felt earlier when he had managed to bend successfully. It took two tries, but he got it much faster this time around than he had before.

The moment Jongdae’s purple-blue flames illuminated the air between them, Minseok gasped. “Was that–? It’s purple? That’s so–!” Minseok couldn’t seem to decide what he wanted to say, he just kept looking between Jongdae and the space where the flames had been.

“Right?” Jongdae said with a laugh. Now that he had a grasp on the fire, he did a few elementary moves. He wasn’t all that powerful yet, so he did what he could to amplify what limited power he did have, sending forth a few balls of fire and carving one long streak of flames with his leg. The only thing that made it look the least bit impressive was the colour.

“That is the coolest firebending I have ever seen,” Minseok said. “How did you manage to make it purple?”

“I don’t know. I think it’s because of the lightning and how hot it is.”

Minseok nodded as if that made sense. “What moves have you tried so far?” he asked next.

“A few? I can try more if you want to see.” Minseok was nodding before Jongdae even finished his sentence. He still felt a little self-conscious but Minseok’s excitement was contagious. He mentally prepared a list of firebending techniques to try out and got started.

“What is going on here?” A voice rang out, cutting between Jongdae and Minseok’s laughter like a knife. They both stared at the source of the voice, frozen.

Jongdae had just tried to make a ring of fire and failed miserably, causing Minseok to laugh. To shut him up Jongdae shocked him and laughed at the scandalized look on his face. Minseok got his revenge when Jongdae lit up the clearing again by dousing the flames, and Jongdae, with water. Neither of them had noticed anyone approaching.

Jongdae didn’t need to be able to see to know that Minseok was moving to shield him, adjusting his satchel of water in case he needed to use it. Jongdae put a hand over his friend’s, silently telling him to wait.

“Nothing,” Jongdae answered, “We were just out practicing a bit. Why?” He tried to keep his voice light. They weren’t doing anything they shouldn’t be. This area of campus wasn’t forbidden, nor were they breaking any rules. They just had to hope whoever it was did not know about Jongdae’s predicament. Jongdae had a sinking suspicion as to who the voice belonged to, and he wasn’t hopeful.

The figure moved closer, close enough for Jongdae to see his face in the moonlight. It was Junmyeon, their senior and an intern-to-be at the police department. Jongdae’s suspicions had been correct. As dorm prefect for the past two years, Junmyeon had detailed knowledge of all the students living there and was very much aware that Jongdae should not be able to bend.

“Jongdae,” Junmyeon said evenly, “were you bending?”

Jongdae couldn’t speak; he couldn’t think of anything to say. Minseok stepped closer and elbowed him in the side. “N-no, I wasn’t bending, you must have imagined it.” Minseok elbowed him again. Wrong thing to say.

“Jongdae I just watched you bend both fire and lightning in the past five minutes I’ve been standing here, which is something that should not be possible,” Junmyeon said, placing weight on each and every word. Jongdae winced, knowing exactly what Junmyeon was implying. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Junmyeon please, there’s an explanation for all of this, just hear us out first. You know Jongdae wouldn’t be hiding this if there wasn’t a reason. You’ve been living with all of us for 2 years,” Minseok said, realizing Jongdae was still a little brain dead.

“Yes, and that’s why I’m still here listening. I have an obligation to report what I see, it’s my job, and what you’re doing is very, very illegal. Most of the people who have false documentation saying they’re non-benders are criminals or people with connections to the triads. They’re easier to forge than other documents,” Junmyeon explained, looking pained. He’d been good friends with Minseok and was Baekhyun’s senior in the law enforcement department. He clearly didn’t want to report them,

Jongdae hadn’t known all of the information Junmyeon had thrown at him, or he would have been more careful. He couldn’t believe he’d been accepted at the plant so easily if things were like that. Even more than that, he couldn’t believe Baekhyun had never told him the real dangers of bending without a license.

“I’ve always been a bender,” Jongdae said, though that should have been obvious. “My mother sent me here from home with the intention that I learn how to work in the military. She didn’t approve of the fact that I could only bend lightning before now, so she got me those documents, so I could get the skills I needed, while still being under her control. She knew I’d be deported home if anyone found out.”

“If it was a huge secret, why risk getting found out now? You managed to keep it secret or at least off campus for years.”

Minseok stepped forward, “Junmyeon please, he’s been trying to learn firebending his entire life. As you can see, he has. You take bending lessons with us, we might be waterbenders, but we can see the firebenders. His abilities are those of a beginner. He’s not lying.”

Junmyeon ran his hand through his hair. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, I trust both of you you’ve been some of the best students on campus and in the dorms; it’s the fact that I have no idea what to do about this.”

Jongdae’s heart was beating fast. He trusted Junmyeon as well, but Junmyeon had a strong sense of justice and it was hard to tell if he could truly look the other way. “Please Junmyeon, I don’t want to go home. She’s horrible. I might never be able to come back.”

Junmyeon gave him a long look, then Minseok. He sighed. “I won’t say anything, but you have to swear you will never bend on campus again. If I see you I will have to report to you. I start my internship with the police in three weeks and waterbending policemen aren’t exactly in high demand. It was hard to get in when people kept telling me to go for fireman instead.”

Jongdae nodded. He respected the law; despite how many times he’d broken it. Junmyeon looked like he was being torn in half, but the part that was worried about Jongdae was real and believable. Jongdae chose to believe in that.

“Get back to the dorms and sleep,” Junmyeon said finally, dismissing them.

“Will do officer,” Minseok said with a snort. “Will that be all?”

Junmyeon was silent for just a beat too long. Jongdae figured he was blushing. “Yes, you’re dismissed.”

“If you’re looking for more people to bust, there’s a couple having sex behind those bushes around the corner. They have a nice little fire set up.” Jongdae said as they started off in the opposite direction.

Junmyeon groaned. “I hate patrol duty. The amount of unnecessary nakedness I’ve seen is ridiculous.” Despite his griping, he still picked his way over to the offending couple.

Jongdae and Minseok laughed as they made their way back. Despite what Junmyeon had literally just said about being subtle on campus, Minseok peppered him with questions about his newfound d\fire. Jongdae explained to him how, even though the colour was pretty, the heat was intense and thus painful, even to him. He described his theories about trying to tone them down. The lightning flowed fast like a current, so he felt a shocking sensation from the heat, but it was something he could channel through his chi pathways and wasn’t as physically present–he wasn’t entirely sure about any of this, since much of it made very little sense, but trying to understand it like this helped.. Like before, Minseok only really understood how the lightning worked via waterbending, but his eyes were bright. He kept shooting Jongdae warm smiles as he watched him animatedly explain everything.

Once Jongdae had exhausted himself talking, Minseok gave him one more proud look, and they parted ways. Elated and completely satisfied, Jongdae had the best sleep of his entire life.

–

The following morning, Jongdae made his way across the bridge separating the campuses and into the dining hall belonging to the Arts Campus. To his relief, he found Kyungsoo and Chanyeol sitting at a breakfast table near the entrance, looking groggy and half-dead. The sight made Jongdae smile. He quickly grabbed some food–students from each campus were freely permitted to use the facilities on both sides after too many failed attempts to segregate them–and walked over to sit with them.

“Good morning!” Jongdae chirped as he sat beside Kyungsoo.

Both of them looked at him like he was some kind of apparition in their sleepy state.

“Never, ever, use that tone in the morning ever again,” Kyungsoo said, rubbing his fingers on the bridge of his nose. He’d barely touched his breakfast and looked like he could use some coffee and another 5 hours of sleep.

Chanyeol looked almost as tired but he was also shovelling food into his mouth at an alarming rate, making him seem just a bit livelier. “Morning Kyungsoo’s dangerous, you should listen,” he said through a mouthful of food.

Jongdae side-eyed Kyungsoo, who was holding onto his chopsticks very tightly and knew immediately that Chanyeol wasn’t joking.

“I come bearing unfortunate news,” Jongdae said quietly. Kyungsoo frowned but Jongdae didn’t sense any murderous intent so he continued. “Last night I was showing Minseok some of the, uh, firebending I learned, and we were caught by one of the patrols.”

“What?!” Chanyeol said, spraying food across the table. Both Jongdae and Kyungsoo looked at him in disgust and he retreated, sheepishly. “I mean, ‘what?’ Did you get reported.”

“No, the patrol was Junmyeon, the one you met when you came over to study in October. He knows us well. He promised to keep it secret for now, I just have to be careful from now on.”

“You should have been more careful from the start Jongdae,” Kyungsoo said.“It’s one thing to do it in a place where no one knows you, but to do it here?”

Jongdae slouched down on the table beside his tray of food. “I know, it was just…really important to me that Minseok saw it. He’s been with me the whole time.”

Kyungsoo gave him a genuine expression of understanding. “I know. I just don’t want you to be hurt. There are enough suspicious people around the school we have to worry about. We don’t want any more up here where you spend most of your time.”

Chanyeol nodded emphatically. “We’ll help you out when we can too. You’re not alone.”

The look Chanyeol gave him had his stomach full of butterflies and his heart full. He had to do something about that soon or it would consume him. Putting that aside for now while he could still ignore it, he thanked the both of them and they all had their meal in silence until they had to separate for classes.

–

When Jongdae arrived at the power plant for his next shift he noticed something was off. Upon entering, he realized that there were few people actually working at the generators, the rest were lined up in front of a man sporting a spectacular handlebar moustache, clad in a light blue jacket, the kind Republic City inspectors usually wore, Jongdae crept closer to get a closer look and saw the telltale badge on his chest. He then looked at all of the men and women lined up and noticed they were all carrying some kind of identification.

Jongdae’s insides went cold. The papers the inspector was checking all specified whether or not the person could bend and everyone in the building working at the generators should have the fire insignia printed on whatever they had brought. He remembered what Junmyeon had told him about the triads and paperwork forgery; it wasn’t hard to put two and two together to realize this was a randomized search to weed out gang member. Everyone knew this was the place to go if you were a firebender and wanted good money fast. The rumours that the plants weren’t picky about who they allowed to power the generators made the prospect even more appealing. It was why Jongdae was even there in the first place.

Jongdae tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, before moving towards the front desk to make sure his assumption was correct. He still desperately needed money and he wasn’t going to leave this place if he didn’t have to, it was all he had.

“Seulgi,” Jongdae asked the clerk, “who is the guy interviewing all of the workers.”

Seulgi gave him a confused look. “Who do you mean?” she asked, leaning over her desk to get a better view. He could see all of her school work splayed behind the ledgers and he felt a little bad distracting her, but the detective was terribly conspicuous and the notifications on the board about the searches that he had been walking by without paying much mind were making him sweat, despite the cold air blowing through the door.

Jongdae tried to hide his face and look over at the same time, “He’s the one in the blue police jacket, with the moustache.”

“Ohh, yes,” she said, sitting back down, “he’s here to make sure we’re conducted business legally. That’s what the notices are for. They come in at random around every so often to weed out triad members, especially lately, though you haven’t been around when they’ve happened so far. The foreman said to keep you away during inspection if you ever showed up during one, so please hurry and get away. He said you’d be paid extra next week.”

Jongdae felt the blood drain from his face. “Thanks,” he said stiffly before walking out of the building at a normal pace, to avoid causing a stir. He would have to thank the foreman profusely for having his back and considering him above a life of crime. It did help that Jongdae had explained to him properly why his papers looked like that in the event this did happen, but he was nonetheless shaken.

Once he was out of the immediate vicinity of the plant, after carefully checking for back-up officers–there were two near an armoured car he was able to hide from–he bolted towards the bending school. Seeing the entire investigation process in progress made the threat of deportation all the more real to him, except, instead of prison like the gang members, he’d be on an airship home.

Jongdae reached the school ages before Kyungsoo or Chanyeol’s lessons were scheduled to end, so he sat outside in the cold, tucked away in a small alcove by the door, and tried to collect his thoughts. He wasn’t stable enough to go inside and stay composed amidst so many people. His breath fogged out before him and he was glad he had worn an extra coat that day. He practiced fire control for warmth using an old metal lighter to disguise the fact that he was bending. It was a stupid move so close to the cops, but he was so cold and shaken he had to do something to focus.

Lilac tinted fire flickered before Jongdae’s eyes. It was too bright to stare into, but he couldn’t control himself enough to cool it down. He was high strung with fear, sitting there with the sound of his heartbeat loud in his ears and limbs that wouldn’t stop shaking, and when that subsided it was replaced with a simmering anger. 

His flames cooled to an icy blue as his thoughts transitioned from fear of being caught to anger towards his mother for making his life unnecessarily hard no matter what he did, or where he went. He resented the amount of power she held over him more than anything and hated his inability to truly resist. Her overbearing presence made enjoying his life to the fullest difficult because he constantly afraid of her interference. He wished he had tried to rebel more, see if he could shake off the shackles she’d wrapped him in, but he was afraid of her, and some small part–the child he once was–yearned for her love and attention in vain. He’d been unable to take that final step away from that existence.

By the time lessons were over, Jongdae had calmed down enough to lower his flames to a sickly yellow through concentration, not anger. He had let his anger go before it started to affect him too much and make him too volatile. It was one of the few things he was particularly skilled at because it was required for bending lightning. After he was left with nothing but a great need to find a solution to his problem and rid himself of this fear that threatened to engulf him.

“Jongdae?” Kyungsoo asked, standing just outside the doors.

Jongdae looked up at Kyungsoo but said nothing, partly because he was still ruminating and partly because he was almost too cold to speak.

Kyungsoo looked at him with alarm and walked over. “What happened, are you okay?”

“No,” Jongdae croaked. Jongdae had thought about saying yes, because that’s what he usually did when anyone asked, but he figured his friends should know about the man looking for benders with non-bender documentation and how afraid he felt.

“Can you tell me why?” Kyungsoo asked. His tone was soft and gentle and if Jongdae was even a little more worked up than he currently was, he might have lost control of his emotions there and then.

Jongdae stood up and brushed at his clothing, stretching his limbs to get his blood flowing again. “Yeah, just not out here.”

Kyungsoo nodded and led Jongdae into the school. When Chanyeol spotted them heading for the office, he followed along too. Jongdae waited until Chanyeol had the office door closed behind him before explaining what had happened earlier.

“What do you mean inspections?!” Chanyeol asked, slamming a hand on the desk. Kyungsoo and Jongdae winced.

“Calm down Chanyeol, you already know about the issue with the triads. They kicked you and Jongin out of the pro-bending arena along with everyone else during a police raid because the crowd was full of them,” Kyungsoo said, massaging his temples.

“Well then what do we do? We can’t let him get caught.”

Jongdae bit his lip. “It’s fine, we’ll figure something out. They’ve been looking for a while now and it’s only heated up a little, it’ll go down.”

Kyungsoo gave Jongdae a leveled look. “You better follow the rules to a T from now on.”

Jongdae winced at the tone of his voice. He knew Jongdae and Chanyeol had been getting careless with his extremely conspicuous, purple firebending. He should have more self-discipline than that. He’d spent his entire childhood hiding what he could do. He was just enjoying himself so much that he couldn’t help but lost control.

“I’ll be more careful,” Jongdae told him while Chanyeol nodded along. He repeated it to himself over in his head, as if that would make it stick.

“Okay, now that that’s over,” Chanyeol said, swinging the door open, “let’s get to work.”

Kyungsoo frowned at Chanyeol’s lack of concern but knew that Chanyeol did care, in his own way. Chanyeol was only trying to lighten the oppressive atmosphere surrounding them.

–

“So, what now?” Jongdae asked after suiting up for practice the next day. He’d finally broken in his gear so that it was comfortable to wear and felt ready for anything.

Part of him was still shaken from the day before and a wariness had begun to weigh on him that kept him alert and on edge, constantly looking around for anyone who might catch him bending. The other half couldn’t care less and was hell bent on mastering firebending as quickly as possible.

Chanyeol looked at him like he did his students: bright eyed, fond smile, and attitude that said ready to show him the world. “Now, we get to work my young pupil. You have much to learn. We’ll figure out the security thing later. I locked the gates for now.”

“Chanyeol you know I am older than you right?” Jongdae quipped, fastening is last buckle. He wasn’t particularly fond of being talked down to, especially not by Chanyeol, whose maturity was questionable at best. Jongdae wasn’t seven.

Chanyeol covered Jongdae’s mouth and nose with a warm hand that covered most of his face. Callouses and burn scars rubbed against Jongdae’s cheeks as he struggled to free himself.

“Mmmmph,” Jongdae protested. Both of his hands were wrapped around Chanyeol’s forearm trying to pull free, but Chanyeol had the strength of an ox.

Chanyeol looked at him sternly. “You’re young, and you’re my pupil, I will not tolerate any backtalk in my training hall. We will begin with basic exercises and forms to see if you can maintain your fire consistently.”

Jongdae licked Chanyeol’s hand until it was removed from his face with a disgusted noise and he could speak again. “Then I guess it’s a damn good thing I already know all of them,” Jongdae said, annoyed.

“Then let’s go,” Chanyeol announced, his hand now wrapped firmly around Jongdae’s arm. 

Jongdae was dragged into the training area with little choice in the matter. He was, of course, excited to bend fire, he just enjoyed the act. Chanyeol’s child-like excitement was horribly endearing. He tried to let Chanyeol’s reassurance that the doors were locked to keep him from worrying about being seen and just enjoy the moment.

With his newfound firebending ability, Jongdae figured his lessons would be easier. He soon learned that he was wrong, very wrong. He struggled to control his fire the way he did electricity but because it was so different, the same rules didn’t apply, and he was left figuring it out from scratch. The unusual purple hue to his flames and the heat they produced made things harder the longer he produced. 

At this point, Jongdae could hardly keep a flame going for long. Short bursts and quick blades and small, twisting cyclones were all he was capable of. Manipulating them was almost out of the question after an unfortunate incident involving most of Jongdae’s arm hair being burnt off.

In the end, Jongdae was stuck trying to keep a small flame in his hands lit while Chanyeol had him run around the yard doing ridiculous things of all manners to force him to keep it lit under pressure. This was in between practice sets just projecting the flame forth in various forms.

By the time they had finished and started washing up in the sink, gear peeled off and thrown aside. Jongdae was exhausted, looking forward to a good soak in the baths once he got home. He felt like he was back at square one and it frustrated him. Still, he felt quite good about today’s lesson, considering his flame hadn’t gone out once and had even cooled down to a blue-green colour when he was almost too tired to produce it at all.

After washing his face and hands in the sink, Jongdae watched Chanyeol roll up the sleeves of his cotton shirt to reveal muscled forearms, spiderwebbed with veins. With the water he pushed his hair up and off his forehead in a way that made him look different, more mature, and definitely to Jongdae’s tastes. Realizing he was starting to stare Jongdae thought quick before he was caught. Luckily, his good mood had him feeling a little impulsive, so he snatched up one of the full buckets that sat forgotten in the sink, and flung the water at Chanyeol, drenching him so that he was spluttering and looking like a very tall, drowned rat. 

Jongdae couldn’t even manage to pay proper attention to the way Chanyeol’s shirt now clung tightly to him because he was laughing so hard at Chanyeol’s expression that he nearly fell over. 

Chanyeol took advantage of Jongdae’s crippling laughter in order to spray him with as much water as he could with the hose attached to a different faucet. Jongdae ducked out of the way as fast as he could manage, escaping the worst of it. He darted in and managed to snatch away the hose before it could do any more damage. He gave Chanyeol a smirk, knowing he’d won.

Chanyeol’s eyes gleamed for a moment before his face lit up completely. He leapt forward without warning and tackled Jongdae. All too quickly, they toppled over and landed in a cloud of dust. Chanyeol’s lean body was pressed full against Jongdae, water seeping from Chanyeol’s soaking clothes through Jongdae’s own until he too was completely wet. His hands pressed down on either side of Jongdae, alleviating some of the weight Jongdae now felt.

They locked eyes and Chanyeol grinned. Jongdae let out a loud whine, trying to wriggle free from the cage of Chanyeol’s body and the strength of his hold. His struggle was futile. No matter how hard he tried to wriggle free, Chanyeol’s body was big enough to fully engulf Jongdae in his arms and keep him there. He bit Chanyeol’s arm where it was wrapped around him, earning a loud cry of pain. Chanyeol spun Jongdae around in his arms to frown at him, not relinquishing his grip even once. Jongdae promptly stepped on his foot in another attempt but only succeeded in throwing him off balance.

He didn’t let Chanyeol rest on him with a self-satisfied smile for long. Jongdae bucked his hips up and tried to get a leg around Chanyeol so he could flip him over as he’d been taught in wrestling, but he wouldn’t budge. One by one Jongdae’s hands were pinned down on either side of his face as he continued thrashing, grunting with effort.

Chanyeol laughed at his every effort to break free, putting more and more of his body weight onto Jongdae, until he was completely trapped. Jongdae could feel the cold drops of water from Chanyeol’s hair on his face, one after the other, until he gave in and stopped struggling. Silence fell, charged with tension and unspoken words. Jongdae looked into Chanyeol’s eyes

Chanyeol’s warmth began to seep through his wet clothes as well, until Jongdae could feel it even through the layers of his own. The weight of Chanyeol’s body, larger and thicker than his own, smothered him; all he saw was Chanyeol above and around him, all he felt was Chanyeol’s body warm and flush against his, and all he smelled was the charred, yet spiced scent of Chanyeol. Jongdae made one last half-hearted attempt to free himself, but he knew he was already drunk on Chanyeol’s presence and didn’t much care to leave it.

Chanyeol’s hands tightened on Jongdae’s wrists as he stared into Jongdae’s eyes, as if searching for something in them. Jongdae found he liked the attention and laid the feelings he’d kept bottled up bare. His gaze slid from Chanyeol’s big eyes, unmistakable hunger in them, down towards his chapped lips. Chanyeol’s tongue slid across them, and all at once Jongdae knew what he wanted next, he just needed the freedom to take it.

Cold emptiness swept over him, like a blanked removed, when Chanyeol released Jongdae’s wrists and lifted himself up, and away from Jongdae. Resisting the urge to groan with frustration, Jongdae sat up, chasing Chanyeol’s warmth and what he truly wanted; what he hoped Chanyeol had wanted too but was perhaps too afraid to reach for.

Chanyeol wouldn’t meet his eyes when Jongdae tried to figure out what had caused him to pull away. Jongdae was sure it wasn’t because the ground had suddenly become incredibly interesting. He couldn’t figure out what he was missing, had he been picking up the wrong signals? Unsure whether he should pursue or hold back, Jongdae froze with his hand outstretched, seconds before he made a decision. He swallowed, feeling his throat bob. Chanyeol’s eyes flickered over at the movement, his interest unmistakable. 

Hope rippled through Jongdae and replenished his confidence. He slid closer and gave him a bump on the shoulder. “You know,” he said, voice low, “I didn’t mind being pinned down like that. In fact, I’m about two seconds from tackling you myself.” Jongdae gave him a wolf-like smile to emphasize what he meant.

Chanyeol gave him a long, hard look he too. Jongdae hummed as he gave him time, placing a hand on Chanyeol’s thigh and leaning in for extra incentive and reassurance this was what _he_ wanted. He hoped it was enough to make that blatantly obvious.

Jongdae, sheltered as he was, was relatively new to this sort of thing, aside from a little experimenting with Minseok alone on their beach. They figured out they weren’t meant to be a couple early on, but that was no reason they couldn’t spend their time helping each other out for mutual benefit. He knew Chanyeol had–after they got a little too tipsy going out after practice he’d been very descriptive of his first relationship. It had been of great interest to Jongdae then, and even more so now that he wanted to experience Chanyeol’s claims for himself. He wanted this, and he wanted it bad, but he was prepared to wait through the unbearable pause.

Chanyeol looked down at the hand on his thigh. “I figured you’d be uncomfortable with these wet clothes,” he said careful, peeling his shirt away from his chest and ruining the imprint of what was beneath. He grinned. “Aside from that, I didn’t mind at all. You were the one thrashing about.”

Jongdae grasped the opportunity and slid closer, hand curling more tightly around Chanyeol’s thigh. “What was I supposed to do? Lie there and get wet?” Jongdae said, making Chanyeol laugh. In a more serious tone he said, “I don’t want this to change anything, but at the same time–”

“Can’t keep ignoring it, eh?” Chanyeol said, picking up from where Jongdae had left off. He played with Jongdae’s fingers as he wrapped his own hand around them.

“No, I don’t think so.”

Chanyeol leaned back on one hand, not letting go of Jongdae’s hand with the other. “Well, I’d say this is a happy coincidence, because if you were to slide your arms along mine one more time for another ‘demonstration,’ I’d be one step closer to losing it. Now we can figure things out in the open.” His eyes gleamed as he slid his own hand upwards, along Jongdae’s arm.

“Perfect,” Jongdae breathed, leaning in to close the distance between them, “Then I hope you don’t mind it if your new student is a little forward.”

“Not at all, I love it when my students take initiative, so long as they never engage in cringey student-teacher roleplay again and just fucking kiss me already.”

Chanyeol didn’t give him the chance to answer, his mouth already on Jongdae’s, his free hand wrapped around Jongdae’s back to pull him in tighter. Jongdae pressed forward, climbing over Chanyeol’s legs until he was sitting on top of Chanyeol, straddling him, one hand intertwined with Chanyeol’s and the other in his hair.

The kiss was chaste at first, almost hesitant, but both of them had been hard at work bending fire with passion for hours, and they had plenty left to spare. With a pressing need for more, Jongdae slid his lips against Chanyeol’s, biting and pulling his bottom lip and drawing out a groan that sent heat pooling low in his abdomen. Chanyeol sucked at Jongdae’s upper lip, hard enough to leave it swollen, until Jongdae opened his mouth and Chanyeol swept his tongue inside. Jongdae moaned, and Chanyeol’s hips bucking beneath him at the sound.

Chanyeol maneuvered them so that he was once again lying on top of Jongdae, taking control of every one of Jongdae’s senses until he couldn’t pay attention to anything less. The deeper Chanyeol kissed into his mouth, eager and clumsy, the more Jongdae felt the urge to turn the tables. He wasn’t about to let Chanyeol drag him down this easily.

Grateful for his hours spent practicing wrestling on people much larger than himself and Chanyeol’s preoccupation with his mouth and throat, he used his legs to twist Chanyeol around, while also breaking free from his grasp. In seconds, Jongdae was once again sitting astride Chanyeol, ass against his crotch, pressing downward until Chanyeol looked halfway between uncomfortable and extremely aroused.

Jongdae looked down at the expanse of Chanyeol’s chest and stomach, where his shirt was still sticking to the skin. With one hand he could feel Chanyeol’s abs beneath his shirt, and the rise and fall of his stomach as he took deep, shuddering breaths. Feeling bolder, he began undoing the buttons on Chanyeol’s shirt to run his hands over the muscle. He placed one hickey just above Chanyeol’s heart before pressing himself against Chanyeol so that they could resume kissing. 

Jongdae was sucking on Chanyeol’s tongue, licking into his mouth with an unfamiliar hunger, when the hands pressing bruises into his waist drifted downwards, until Chanyeol’s hands cupped his ass as if they were made to do so. As soon as Jongdae stopped, Chanyeol squeezed, kneading his fingers into the full, but firm flesh. Jongdae arched his back at the sudden intensity, pressing into Chanyeol’s body. He held back a low moan by kissing Chanyeol fervently until he was used to the feeling of Chanyeol’s ministrations and relaxed into them.

After what felt like ages, Jongdae forced himself to face reality. He knew they couldn’t continue for much longer or they’d miss their bus home. Jongdae pulled back, leaving sweet kisses on Chanyeol’s lips, the edge of his mouth, along his jaw, and into the crook of his neck before sitting up.

“That was…wow,” Chanyeol said breathlessly as he stood up and pulled Jongdae with him.

“Understatement,” Jongdae agreed.

The two of them were covered with soot and dust, but Jongdae could see how red Chanyeol’s cheeks were in the dim light and how swollen his lips were from kissing. He assumed he looked pretty much the same and held back a laugh. This thing between them felt like had been a long time coming; it felt right. Jongdae’s heart was beating a mile a minute, and he felt full and happy as he gave Chanyeol a content grin.

“We should do that again sometime,” Chanyeol said casually.

“We definitely should, but for now we’re almost late.” Jongdae pointed over to the clock and Chanyeol’s expression went from bliss to alarm. 

“Oh, shit.”

They collected their things, washed as much as they could, and locked the gate behind them. They sprinted towards the street car and barely made it. Unable to stop himself, Jongdae gave Chanyeol a quick peck before they got onto the street car. That one small kiss turned into a game where they’d try and sneak a kiss when no one was looking. Chanyeol’s arm around the back of Jongdae’s chair made him distinctly aware of his presence. Jongdae placed his own hand on Chanyeol’s thigh to give him a taste of his own medicine. Chanyeol went stiff before leaning in for a deeper kiss than before. 

Not long after, they were off the streetcar and alone by the gates of campus. They simply stared at each other for a moment before Chanyeol grabbed his hand and dragged him into the shadows towards a secluded bench. He sat down, pulled Jongdae in close beside him, hand on the small of his back, and pressed their lips together.

It was awkward sitting side-by-side. Jongdae’s hands sat uncomfortably on Chanyeol’s chest and around his shoulders. Humming against Chanyeol’s lips, he backed off, so he could straddle Chanyeol’s lap instead, arms around Chanyeol’s neck. He slotted their mouths together again, and Chanyeol made a noise of approval, finally opening his mouth and allowing Jongdae to deepen the kiss.

Jongdae wasn’t entirely sure how long they sat there kissing, exploring each other with their hands. At some point, Jongdae started rocking his hips forward, seeking friction to ease the growing heat in his lower abdomen. Chanyeol moaned into his mouth when Jongdae made pressed down on Chanyeol’s crotch. He ground down harder, receiving more moans of pleasure.

Chanyeol pulled away from Jongdae’s mouth and started pressing kisses down his neck, stopping only to unbutton the first few buttons on Jongdae’s shirt. He then resumed his task, sucking and biting to leave his own mark on Jongdae’s shoulder. 

Jongdae hummed to show he was pleased and rolled his hips harder. He could feel Chanyeol begin to harden through his pants, and the press of their clothes cocks was so delicious, Jongdae was ready to do just about anything to get his cock full and hard alongside Chanyeol’s. He pressed a kiss forward, deep and filthy, as if trying to communicate his need for more.

By the time they separated, he felt dizzy and overheated and desperate for more.

“I think we should stop for tonight,” Chanyeol said, his voice, low and husky. The sound went straight to Jongdae’s cock, but he tried to stay collected. Now that they had stopped, he realized just how prominent Chanyeol’s erection was through his pants and laughed, even though he knew he was in the same situation.

He pressed one more kiss against Chanyeol’s mouth. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked, getting up from Chanyeol’s lap and adjusting his pants. He was glad they were loose enough to hide how hard he was.

“Yeah,” Chanyeol said blissfully. “See you.”

Jongdae watched as Chanyeol made his way over to his own campus before turning and heading towards his dorms.

When he entered his shared room with Baekhyun, Baekhyun took in his dishevelled state, kiss swollen lips, and pink cheeks with interest, making Jongdae feel uncomfortable. He knew exactly what Baekhyun was thinking. Baekhyun gave him a smug smile and said, “I was wondering when that might happen. I had a bet with Kyungsoo as to when. He won, but I’m still happy for you.”

“Gee thanks,” Jongdae said without any bite to his words. 

“He a good kisser?” Baekhyun asked, now on his stomach at the end of the bed so he could watch Jongdae more attentively.

Jongdae finished wrapping his robe around himself, getting ready for a bath to clean off all of the dirt and dust from earlier and answered, “Better than you, that’s for sure.”

“That was one drunk kiss! I assure you I’m better than that lumbering giant,” Baekhyun said in protest. He looked so offended Jongdae snorted.

“Okay fine, but do you have all of the benefits that come with being a lumbering giant?” Jongdae asked. He raised his eyebrows and watched until Baekhyun saw the bigger picture.

“You make a good point there my friend. Now go wash, you smell.”

Jongdae wasted no time leaving the room and walking down the hall to the bath, still feeling warm and giddy. 

–

The rest of that winter was spent in a similar fashion. Chanyeol would run Jongdae ragged at the training school as he made him relearn everything he knew from childhood while bending actual fire. He used Jongdae’s own methods of demonstrating with his own flames or getting in close and adjusting Jongdae’s forms on his own.

The latter had a tendency to turn into long make-out sessions so, in the interest of actually learning thing, Jongdae put his foot down and banned kissing inside the training school. Chanyeol only reluctantly agreed when Jongdae allowed the amendment: “Unless it is for the sole purpose of irritating Kyungsoo.”

Of course, this didn’t stop them from getting together elsewhere whenever they could. Their dorm rooms were ruled out early because sneaking around wasn’t worth the trouble either Baekhyun or Kyungsoo would bring down upon them. Instead, they got creative. During one of his expeditions into the far reaches of the library, Chanyeol had discovered a number of small hideaways that he was sure people hadn’t visited since the place was built, perfect for passing time between classes. Forcing himself to cover his mouth to muffle the moans threatening to escape while Chanyeol sucked him off was a small price to pay for privacy.

The day they had found their alcove of choice was one of the first few days that they had realized the library was a good place to meet up without getting caught due to its size, labyrinth of shelves, and many sections few people ever entered. Before they managed to find a safe spot, they had a few close scares in various parts of the library they thought safe.

The first time Chanyeol had Jongdae pressed against a bookshelf, licking into his mouth as he held Jongdae’s wrists in a bruising grip to keep him from teasing any longer, their fun had been cut short by the shuffling of one of Jongdae’s teachers coming to gather materials for class. They had to then scramble around to look like they weren’t just making out seconds before.

After that, they had spent the rest of the week searching for the perfect spot in a massive game of hide and seek. It was a challenge to see how far things got before someone came close, even if it was uncomfortable if they did. Chanyeol was dead set on finding a place they could camp out in and Jongdae agreed. They really could have picked somewhere better than the library but, after spending so much time together here, it had a certain charm.

The spot Chanyeol found by chance was in a small corner of the library where old records of crops and taxes from the area around the city while it still belonged to the Earth kingdom. No one cared about rice outputs from 400 years ago and the information had been stowed so deep in the library that the labyrinth of books hid it almost completely from sight. Chanyeol had apparently found it after getting lost while looking for more scrolls and hit the jackpot.

“Are you sure no one will find us?” Jongdae asked the first time Chanyeol had dragged him to the spot.

“Yes, without a doubt,” Chanyeol said, not really paying attention as he tried to remember where exactly he had found it. Once they reached it he held out his arms in an exaggerated display while announcing, “Our secret hideaway.”

“So, you’re absolutely sure?” Jongdae asked again. His fingers were itching to touch Chanyeol after spending so much time studying together and continuously getting cock blocked. He had a craving for skin against skin and they were both wearing too many clothes. If Chanyeol was right, they might get the chance to remove more than usual.

“We just have to be quiet, but yeah, there’s enough dust on the floor to make it clear no one has been down here in ages.”

Looking down, Jongdae realized Chanyeol was right and wasted no time before he surged forward, before Chanyeol could say anything more. Standing on his toes, he reached up around Chanyeol’s neck to pull him down into a kiss. Jongdae had been holding back for the last 3 days and he was running out of patience. He cupped Chanyeol’s face before backing him into the wall.

The shock of the impact caused Chanyeol to gasp, his mouth opening slightly. Jongdae didn’t give him any reprieve and took the opportunity to weave his hands into Chanyeol’s hair to pull him in and lick into his mouth. Chanyeol’s breath hitched and he tensed at the sudden sensation, before relaxing and allowing Jongdae do as he pleased.

Moving their mouths together now, Chanyeol wrapped his arms around Jongdae, pulling him up so he could deepen the kiss even further. His right arm slid up between Jongdae’s shoulder blades and his left down, so his hand could cup the entirety of Jongdae’s lower back. His thick muscles tightened around Jongdae to hold him close and keep him there, until their warm bodies were pressed flush against each other, and he could feel every part of Chanyeol’s body against his own.

Jongdae disguised the sharp intake of breath he had after his cock was pressed hard into Chanyeol’s thigh by biting down hard on Chanyeol’s lip and sucking on it until he could feel it swelling between his lips. When the pain shot through Chanyeol, his hips pushed forward, and he pressed his own hardening cock into Jongdae’s hip until the pain was soothed by Jongdae’s tongue.

“Don’t say it.” Jongdae muttered beside Chanyeol’s ear. He could still feel Chanyeol’s cock against his hip and was desperately trying to avoid thinking about it.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Chanyeol said. Jongdae could hear the smile through his voice and moaned when Chanyeol’s thigh slid just enough for him to feel it against his own budding erection. The look on his face was irritating enough that he didn’t even need to say anything about their heights.

Jongdae kicked at Chanyeol’s legs, silently telling him to spread them until Chanyeol was at a more reasonable height. Chanyeol only smirked as Jongdae struggled to make him do as he was told, but when Jongdae went back to kiss him, he was ready and waiting for more. 

“What now?” Chanyeol asked, voice strained as Jongdae sucked another blooming mark onto Chanyeol’s skin.

Jongdae didn’t say anything, he just smiled and started to undo the ties at Chanyeol’s waist. As he did so, Chanyeol’s face went bright as he looked at Jongdae with wide-eyes. “What do you think we’re going to do now?” Jongdae asked, giving him an exasperated look, “I know you haven’t been a great student, but you learn pretty quick.”

“I thought we agreed on no more cringey roleplay,” Chanyeol said before nearly choking because Jongdae had run his finger along the line of Chanyeol’s hardening cock through his pants.

“We did,” Jongdae agreed. He wore a shit-eating grin that he knew was riling Chanyeol up and his reaction was too great to not do it again, but when he tried, Chanyeol’s hand wrapped firmly around his arm with no escape.

“Then stop or be a good teacher and explain.”

Jongdae sighed. He hadn’t expected it to be this hard after so long to just get on with it. “I get on my knees and suck your dick.”

“And then I suck yours, so you can’t come until then,” Chanyeol said. His tone sounded pleasant but there was an edge to it that sent shivers up Jongdae’s spine.

“Fine,” he said, keeping his voice smooth, “let’s get started then, shall we?”

Jongdae finished undoing the ties of Chanyeol’s pants, pulling them so he could see Chanyeol’s cock straining through his undershorts. Jongdae’s mouth watered of its own accord and he promptly pulled those down too until Chanyeol’s cock hung heavy before him, growing harder by the second.

Chanyeol hissed when the frigid air of the library’s far reaches touched his exposed skin, but it didn’t last long because Jongdae wasted no time wrapping his mouth around Chanyeol’s cock, with one hand around the base. Chanyeol’s knees nearly buckled but he held onto the bookcase that had to be digging into his spine so tightly his knuckles went white. Jongdae gave a small hum of satisfaction that made Chanyeol’s cock twitch.

Between sliding as far forward along Chanyeol’s shaft as his gag reflex would allow, and thoroughly working the head, licking and sucking while tasting the leaking precum as it came. Chanyeol came fast and hard, with only a tap on the shoulder for warning. Jongdae had misunderstood and pulled back, only for Chanyeol to come all over his face in streaks.

“Oops,” Chanyeol said when he saw what he’d done.

“Yeah oops. I don’t care about this though, suck me off…please.” Now that Jongdae had finished he noticed the intense throbbing of his own cock through his pants. He knew there would be a wet patch where he’d been leaking precum.

Chanyeol didn’t need a formal invitation. Jongdae’s pants were quickly pulled down and Chanyeol’s hand was circling around his straining cock with a warmth that had him groaning. He released Jong pulling him into the open air. feeling of Chanyeol’s hot mouth on his dick was good enough to make him come the first time Chanyeol took him in as far as he could.

Afterwards, they sat side by side in their hideaway, resting against each other and talking about nothing in particular. It soon became another one of their regular shared activities and they were constantly trying to find ways to make it more interesting.

–

“You two are disgusting, I didn’t sign up for this,” Kyungsoo said, walking out of the equipment room to find Jongdae pulling Chanyeol down for one more kiss before they got started.

“Oh lighten up Soo, we might even let you join if you really want to,” Chanyeol said, throwing his arms around Jongdae. Jongdae wasn’t entirely sure if Chanyeol was being serious or not but he found he didn’t mind either way.

“Not on your life Park, now get over here so I can fling rocks at you,” Kyungsoo said, raising walls of earth in a circle around him. They formed a flower-like circle around him, with petals of solid rock and Kyungsoo at its centre. Jongdae had, unfortunately, been subject to how deadly this technique could be as the earth rippled as pieces were flung outward. It was also hard to break through when he could easily pull the slabs inward and use them for protection. If he was willing to put the energy in to this form he meant serious business.

Chanyeol groaned. “You know I was only kidding right? Don’t punish Jongdae for my sins.”

“Jongdae kissed you first,” Kyungsoo yelled from behind a slab of rock. “We do not tolerate PDA in the training hall. Now get over here Park Chanyeol so I can kick your ass.”

Jongdae looked up at Chanyeol and shrugged. “I guess we just have to force him to accept our love.”

Chanyeol’s eyes lit up at the devilish look Jongdae’s face. “I suppose we will. Just…try not to burn him okay?”

“Ha! He can try!” Kyungsoo called. “Are you coming or not?”

Jongdae wasted no time and started to move. The rule was the same as it always was when they were working on firebending: no lightning. Fortunately, Kyungsoo knew he was a beginner and wasn’t petty enough to go beyond what Jongdae was currently capable of. Chanyeol, on the other hand, would be bearing the brunt of his assault.

Kyungsoo rose a few walls for Jongdae to break through. If he hadn’t worked on forms for so long, he’d be utterly hopeless. The searing heat of his flames warped the air as he broke them down with a punch, a kick and another punch, the force of the flames easily breaking down the rock walls. He barely had time to duck as a shard of rock–Kyungsoo’s doing–blew past him. The second, he was prepared for. He sent a burst of flame, intercepting it. It careened to the other side of the yard, smoking. Jongdae let himself have a small moment of self-satisfaction.

It was obvious Kyungsoo was on autopilot for Jongdae, though Jongdae didn’t mind. Practice was practice. He still couldn’t get power levels and heat quite straight yet. The monotony did have a bright side though. He could do his exercises while watching the immensely entertaining battle going on between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

“Just…let…me…get…one…hit!” Chanyeol complained as he dodged slabs of stone that dropped as soon as they were past him. He was using his flames like whips, trying to reach behind Kyungsoo’s fortress of stone somehow. Every time the ground nearly liquified beneath him, Chanyeol was forced to use his flames to keep stable. He had tried to boost himself up to walk along the tops of Kyungsoo’s defences but lost his balance after Kyungsoo diverted one of the rocks he was sending at Jongdae towards Chanyeol’s face.

“You’ll have to try harder than that,” Kyungsoo huffed. His face was covered with sweat and he looked terrifying as he focused on fighting the two of them at once.

Chanyeol was thrown off his feet when he tried to gain the upper hand once more and sent a sea of flames out to try and pry through any gaps. Jongdae pitied him a little; Kyungsoo was too good at this and knew just how to rile Chanyeol up.

Jongdae decided it was time he tried something new. On the latest projectile that was thrown his way he tested his strength, making sure he could send a blast strong enough to break it. Satisfied he ran inwards, knowing Kyungsoo wasn’t expecting him to do anything radical. With driving force, he systematically broke down the weaker backside of Kyungsoo’s defences and then used his momentum to hop on top of the walls when he could no longer break them. Before long he was directly behind Kyungsoo.

Chanyeol’s eyes widened but he said nothing, sending another wave of flames that Kyungsoo was forced to set up another wall for. He promptly sent said wall at Chanyeol who hopped over it with ease.

Jongdae grinned at him as he swept Kyungsoo’s legs from under him and pinned him down, flames covering the fist he held in the air. “We win!” he said happily.

For a moment, Kyungsoo looked furious, before his face relaxed in resignation. “You were supposed to sit over there and hit rocks like a good boy,” Kyungsoo grumbled.

“That was boring, and I like kissing Chanyeol too much to stop,” Jongdae said. He got up and off of Kyungsoo, helping him up and brushing him off. “I figured I might as well try something more creative if I ever want to be useful at this.”

“I suppose you have a point,” Kyungsoo said, “But only about practicing.” He began returning the yard to its usual state, smoothing out the earth as if it were liquid and not solid rock. It was an odd sight to behold.

Chanyeol came up and hugged Jongdae from behind. “That was brilliant! I thought I was going to have to hate him for at least a week after this.”

“Liar,” Kyungsoo said, trying not to smile.

“Anyway, if it weren’t for the fact that I don’t want to be hit by any more rocks, I would kiss you here and now,” Chanyeol said looking down at Jongdae.

Kyungsoo’s head snapped up. “Do not,” he said emphatically.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, we’ll keep things PG _mom_ ,” Chanyeol said. Kyungsoo glared at him but said nothing. A slab of rock did come awfully close to them though.

“That aside,” Chanyeol said, turning Jongdae around, “that was awesome. We make a great team!”

Jongdae smiled. “Of course we do. You’re the perfect distraction and I’m great at doing all the real work.” 

Chanyeol pouted and Jongdae was forced to rephrase, “I was kidding, I agree. We do work great together…in all kinds of ways.”

“I like the way you think Jongdae, when we don’t have company I suggest we test the limits of our teamwork.”

“Stop making innuendos and help me clean up. I don’t want to hear about your “teamwork.” Any more and you get someone else to help out,” Kyungsoo said, grabbing a broom and began sweeping the rest area. Apparently he wasn’t great with sand bending.

“We could always ask Minseok, he lives for this kind of thing.” Jongdae said.

Chanyeol shook his head with a grimace, “He’s even more terrifying than Kyungsoo. I don’t fancy being turned into a human popsicle.”

“Good point.”

At that they began helping Kyungsoo clean up so they could meet the streetcar and go home. When they reached campus all of their adrenaline was gone, and they were all dead on their feet. All teamwork related promises were postponed in favour of much needed sleep.

It wasn’t until he was getting into bed that the guilt of being careless like that hit him. It was easy to put off hiding away when the threat wasn’t imminent like it had been when the inspectors were actually there. It was also easy to put it off when he was having the most fun he had ever had in his entire life. He felt alive for once. He’d just have to talk to Chanyeol about toning it down next time.

–

Sunday became the day Kyungsoo joined them for practical training. Sometimes it would be Kyungsoo against them both. Others had them teaming up on Chanyeol. Twice Jongdae had managed to convince Minseok to join in. Both occasions nearly resulted in the destruction of one or more parts of the school, so they quickly put an end to that.

Jongdae had attempted to tone down their matches, but as more and more arrests were being made, searches for Triad members became less frequent and he felt considerably safer. It wasn’t long before word of their sessions spread, and they had a small collection of children coming to watch them all fight. Jongdae felt anxious about the new audience, especially with the addition of a few adults, but Chanyeol assured him they wouldn’t know enough to tell anyone anything, let alone report him. Jongdae reluctantly took him at his word but was careful to keep his face from the audience as much as possible just in case. 

Even with Chanyeol’s reassurance, the memory of the investigators at the plant still fresh in his mind. The children loved watching them fight but he was starting to get the impression the rest of the neighbourhood didn’t. They got several warning letters and the occasional angry old man as their bending matches got even more spectacular.

Jongdae eventually put his foot down when a woman threatened to call the police. In a particularly long shouting match that was essentially Jongdae, Minseok, and Kyungsoo against Chanyeol, they reduced their practice sessions in scale considerably and kept onlookers out. 

Even so, Jongdae worried, and one snowy Thursday in January, his fears suddenly came alive.

“Chanyeol, we’re being watched,” Jongdae muttered, his breath fogging the air before him. He was halfway through an exercise when he’d spotted the same man walk past the open gates for the third time. He wished he could run up and close them but because many of the students had difficult living situations, the school often became an open refuge for them in the cold if someone was there to supervise.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Chanyeol said, pushing Jongdae’s arm a bit so the flow of chi was better.

Jongdae tried the move again, to keep up appearances, and then said, “No, I’m serious. It’s the man who was at the factory, and our Sunday fight three weeks ago, and I definitely saw him at the back of the street car last Tuesday. I think he’s onto me or something.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened. He searched at Jongdae’s face, just in case there was some humour he was missing, and he could laugh this off. When he found none, he asked, “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know, but I think we should take a break from practice for a while. At least until he stops hanging around.”

Chanyeol deflated so quickly Jongdae barked out a laugh. “We don’t have to stop forever. Besides, it’s not like this is the only place we get to spend alone time together. It’s not like he’s going to come to the library, or my room when Baekhyun is out.”

Chanyeol’s good mood came back so fast it only made Jongdae laugh harder.

“You’re sure it’s the same man though?” Chanyeol asked anxiously, trying to look outside.

“Chanyeol, the man has a handlebar moustache and is wearing a blue detective’s jacket. He’s not exactly subtle,” Jongdae said with great patience.

“Okay, okay, I was just checking. What do you want to do right now?”

Jongdae looked around, thinking. He wasn’t sure if the man would come by once again and he didn’t want to make it seem like they had caught him watching. “Water break,” he said, “for now.”

They both went over and filled glasses with freezing water, heating it to a drinkable temperature with their flames. As they drank, they took turns peeking through the school’s windows to look for the man that had been trying to watch him. For a while they saw nothing and were about to get started again, when someone started rounding the corner onto their street. The moustache was unmistakable.

“Chanyeol…,” Jongdae said in a small voice once they had both seen him.

“I’ll lock the main doors and we can leave through the back door. Most people don’t even know we have one because it leads to one of the allies that the drunks gather in. They used to wander in until we started bolting the door. It should be fine for one night.” Chanyeol said all of this while also making it look as if they were still both in there bending. He sent flame after flame into the air and Jongdae gathered all of their things so they could rush out the door when the time came.

They reached the school safely, without being followed and parted ways. Baekhyun was off somewhere so he was left in his dorm room with his thoughts, unable to sleep from the fear.

The next day, Chanyeol gathered Jongdae’s friends for an intervention of sorts. That had been their closet call yet and it was obvious the man was closing in on the only undocumented person still in the area. He, Minseok, Baekhyun, and Kyungsoo all made a compelling case as to why their bending sessions should stop, and Jongdae agreed, but he would not budge on the matter of his job.

“Seriously Jongdae, I can help you out with money if you want, just don’t go back there,” Baekhyun said. He rarely mentioned the fact that his family was incredibly wealthy because it wasn’t his thing to brag about something like that or bring it up if it wasn’t needed.

“I can’t accept that Baekhyun, I already told you.”

Baekhyun made an angry sound but knew that argument wasn’t worth pushing since he’d tried before. They all came up with alternatives and finally Jongdae agreed upon choosing a new job, He was, of course, lying through his teeth, but they all looked content. He couldn’t give up that job, it would look far too suspicious if he did. He was also, very possibly, addicted to the chance to bend lightning as creatively as he wanted so long as it powered the generator

**–**

Jongdae felt awful sneaking off campus that Thursday behind his friends’ backs but he’d checked his bank account the day before and he was still several hundred dollars short in paying off the loan he’d taken out to keep his dorm room. He needed a few more shifts to cover the last amount and then he was done for good.

When Jongdae got off the streetcar at his usual station by the docks, he noticed there was something off. At this time of day, this particular area wasn’t very busy as most people preferred to use the station at the fish market farther down. Today it was eerily quiet. He might just be imagining it, since he’d been here all alone before, but he felt like he was being watched and it gave him chills.

The minute he stepped off the station someone shouted, “Stop right there and put your hands behind your head! Bend any fire and you will be charged with use of force against the authorities.”

Every single last bit of happiness left in Jongdae began to wither as everything he’d visualized would happen if he was caught came speeding into his head. It was over. Everything was over. Dread washed over him as he rose to place his hands up.

Almost as soon as he did, a female metalbender had hopped over and cuffed him. She pulled him towards the car even though he needed no force. All he wanted was the chance to talk, though no matter what he said, he was told to remain silent until they reached the police station.

Jongdae should have known it was a lost cause the moment the fire nation representative on the counsel walked into the room and he was suddenly faced with one of his cousins. He had the good grace to look apologetic about kicking his kin out of the country to send him back to his crazy aunt.

“When do I leave?” Jongdae asked.

By this point Jongdae had given up trying to convince them to let him stay when he realized all of the paperwork to send him back had already been completed. He wondered how long ago it had been completed, his guess was shortly after he arrived because he could see his mother’s seal on a suspicious looking letter sitting off to the side, as if it had been attached to the papers. He wasn’t going to bother asking about it. He didn’t want to know. He figured the investigation into him was probably part of this too.

To answer his question, the secretary at the desk pulled over a schedule and searched for whatever she was looking for. “The last ship tonight at 22:15,” she said

“Jongdae!” a familiar voice called from the other side of the police office.

Jongdae turned towards the sound. “Minseok?”

“I heard from one of the kids that they took you. I followed you once I figured out you wouldn’t give up that job because you’re an idiot,” Minseok said, anger lining his face as he stood above Jongdae.

Ashamed that he had been caught like that, Jongdae hung his head. He didn’t know what to say.

“I’m going home with you as soon as the semester is over. I’m not leaving you alone.”

Jongdae gaped at him. “You don’t have to do that, the program here is much better and suited towards what you want.”

“I can do what I want back home too, you can’t stop me. Besides, the school has a sister degree program for those wanting to be ambassadors so I’m going to be taking that. It seems like fun, my parents certainly liked it. So, I’m coming after you. I won’t leave you alone with her.”

Jongdae just nodded. He didn’t need words to let Minseok know how thankful he was.

After that he was hurried off to his dorms to pack. They wouldn’t let Minseok join, so they hugged with the promise of seeing each other again in a few months.

“Jongdae what are you doing,” Baekhyun said from the doorway. He was breathing heavily, having ran to meet him.

Jongdae only looked up at his friend with a tired expression. Baekhyun’s face fell. “No,” he said, “they didn’t.”

“They did.”

Baekhyun’s arms wrapped around him tight. “I don’t want you to leave,” he said, face pressed into Jongdae’s shoulder.

“It’s not like I want to go either,” Jongdae said, trying to pack with Baekhyun clinging to him.

Baekhyun only became more stubborn. “I’ll buy them and have them release you.”

Jongdae laughed, “No, my mother already did that, I’m gone for good. If you want to send me off properly, please help me pack, I only have so much longer.”

Baekhyun sniffed and started collecting Jongdae’s things with him and putting them in his luggage. He even threw in a few articles of his clothing that Jongdae had liked for a little extra colour in the sea of red.

He was allowed to say one last goodbye before he was taken by the police car to the air ship docking port. He gave Baekhyun one last hug, the other crying, with tears streaming down his face, and told him to write. Baekhyun agreed and that was the last Jongdae would see of him for a while.

Some minarets later, Jongdae was being led towards the airship when he heard the voices of Kyungsoo and Chanyeol behind him. “Jongdae! Jongdae, wait!”

Jongdae looked up at the officer who was holding him, silently begging for time to say goodbye. The older man looked between Jongdae and the two students in uniform racing towards them. “You have 5 minutes kid, make the most of it,” he said gruffly.

Jongdae nodded and he took a few steps away so Jongdae could have a little privacy with his friends.

To Kyungsoo he said very little, just as Kyungsoo said very little back. He felt certain that he would see him again somehow, even if he was flying off to a different country. They didn’t need a fancy goodbye, just a warm hug and a warm look.

Chanyeol, however, was already a mess by the time Jongdae turned to him. His guard coughed to indicate that he didn’t have much time left.

“Jongdae, you do know that I love you, right” Chanyeol said, placing his hands on Jongdae’s shoulders.

Jongdae was blindsided by Chanyeol’s serious confession. It had been lingering between them for a while, but neither of them had voiced it aloud. His emotions threatened to take over again. “Yes, I know,” he finally said. Knowing Chanyeol was waiting for a response, reading the question through Chanyeol’s body language he pulled him in for a kiss. When he stepped back he gave his response. “I’d be a terrible pupil if I didn’t love you back, you taught me a lot about love too.”

Chanyeol cringed and burst out laughing, just like Jongdae intended. He didn’t want things to end on a sad note. He didn’t want them to end with cringe-worthy roleplay either, but he figured his message was clear.

Jongdae kissed Chanyeol one more time and made the two of them promise to write before boarding the ship with his guard and returning home.

When he arrived at the Fire Nation Capital, his luggage in tow, he saw his mother standing on the docking platform with one of their manservants. He assumed their car would be waiting by the entrance, but it was still surprising she came here herself rather than wait for him in her office. She was still dressed in her formal military jacket though, some things never changed.

“Jongdae,” she said in greeting.

Standing before her after being apart for so long hardened his resolve. He was not the same small person he was when he was forced to leave. “Mother,” he said without inflection.

“Welcome back,” she said, a smile painted on her face out of some poor display of motherly affection. He didn’t know why she bothered, she already knew what he thought and how he felt. He had made it very clear during his phone call to her before he got on the airship.

Without another word he handed his luggage to the manservant, refusing to give all so the man wasn’t overburdened, and headed to the car.

He could tell his mother wanted him to say something, wanted to say something herself, but he shuttered his expression and turned away from her the entire ride back to their manor. When they arrived, he spoke only to the servants, offering kind words and assistance as they helped him make his room his home again and get him settled. He told them that if she came anywhere near here that night to tell her that he was sleeping and didn’t want to be disturbed. He hoped it would be enough for now.

–

The next day, when Jongdae was trying to rearrange his school books on his desk, trying to figure out how he was going to continue his education, there was a harsh knock on his door followed by the door being opened without any pause for a response.

“Put your training clothes on. We’re going down for daily exercises as usual. I won’t have you slipping into whatever routine of decay you fell into once you left the military school,” his mother said as she stood at the doorway to his room.

Jongdae wanted to laugh. He’d done so much more physical activity outside the military program that he could probably run around the entire capital more than once without stopping. Instead, he kept his face solemn and went into his closet to grab training clothes before he met her down in the training hall.

It was the same large room, made of metal, stone, and other non-flammable materials to prevent ensure the house didn’t burn down. Walking into it now, he felt less small and less afraid than he did as a child. He wasn’t powerless here anymore, he realized.

He looked over at the form of his mother, took in her small frame as she stretched and readied herself. He could see where she was becoming older, weaker than she had been before. More than that, was how much less intimidated he was of her. He’d noticed it earlier, when they met again, but this was always her arena where she held all of the powers and he did none.

“Son,” she said in welcome.

“Mother.”

She gave him a thin smile with little warmth. “I will allow you to go first. Please do our traditional sequences, I want to see if you remember them. Defective as you are, you still need to be able to pass them on.”

Anger roared in his stomach, just as he knew it would the first time she brought this up again. It was followed by a sort of manic happiness. He wasn’t defective, he was never defective outside her narrow view of the world, she would never understand that though. She was a tyrant, a terrible mother who forced her child to do what was far beyond him only to ship him off and steal his identity as if he wasn’t her son to begin with. His only satisfaction was in showing her that the fault did not lie in him, that he could do what she asked and that there was nothing she could say to make up for what she did.

He walked over to the other side of the room and locked eyes with her. He saw the same expression he always saw when he was about to try bending, disappointment that ran so deep she had given up hoping he could ever do it. He closed his eyes against it, vowing not to look at her until the end. Instead, he pictured Chanyeol’s face and recalled the warmth he felt every time he bent fire. He let the energy rise so he would be ready to use it.

He began. The first move was a full leg sweep, so he dropped to the floor and sent a whirl of purple-white flames outwards before continuing the momentum into a standing kick. This was the Twisting Dragon and it had been the hardest to learn, the hardest to firebend with, but he did it. A swift circle of punches with blasts of differing intensity, a front handspring, to lead into the final move, a blast from above. He leapt into the air and instead of bringing forth fire he separated the energies and delivered a crack of lightning to the floor instead.

When he was finished he was back where he began. His breath heavy only because of the mood, his nerves were strung after one of his most ambitious shows of rebellion against his mother. He bowed and rose to meet her gaze.

In her eyes he saw a tumultuous mix of astonishment, horror, anger, and something that might have been pride had it not been so twisted beyond recognition. He expected no less. Her face went purple with all of the conflicting emotions. “How?” she asked, voice hoarse. “How did you manage to learn this when we could not get it from you?”

“I learned from a teacher who cared to learn enough about me to explain it. Someone who learned to know me more than you ever tried to,” Jongdae said without wavering.

“I will not be spoken to like that Jongdae, watch your mouth,” she said, ever focusing on the smallest things.

Jongdae’s anger flared. “You may be my mother, but you do not have the right to tell me what to do after what you’ve put me through. What I had to undo before I could even hope to bend fire.”

His mother was shaking with anger at his insolence. He only continued. “I came back here because I had no choice, because you made the choice for me. I’m not here for any other reason.”

“I made that choice for your own good and you know it,” she said. Her face was twitching with repressed rage.

“For my own good or for your own need to control me, to mold me into what you want me to be. That’s what you’ve always done. You never even looked at me,” his voice was rising now, wobbling as he voiced thoughts he’d long repressed, ones he’d gone over and over while he was gone.

She looked like she’d been slapped. “Good,” he thought bitterly as he waited for his response.

“You ungrateful boy. I have done everything in my power to make you succeed and this is how you treat me. I even sent you away like you wanted. You’re the one who chose not to listen and faced the consequences even when I told you what was best. You’re saying you don’t need me? I made you,” she spat at her son, the son she was supposed to care for.

Jongdae tried to calm himself before speaking again. “I’m done here. I don’t want to speak to you or see you. The reason for my return was a trap laid by you to bring me back here. I did everything for myself, I even learned the precious firebending that you spent so much time forcing me to do. I can continue doing it outside this household.”

“If that’s what you want then leave. I’ll strike you from the family register just like the others and no longer will you be a part of this family.”

“Good. I’m going to get my things. Goodbye mother.”

As soon as he said them, he knew those were going to be the last words he ever said to her, knowing she would never change. He thought he would feel sad when he said them, and part of him did, but, for the most part, he felt like he’d been freed.

–

Just like that Jongdae was on his own. He was homeless with only the money he had made during his last two shifts at the plant. They were barely enough to call a car to bring him into the city proper. He was going to have to figure out something and do it fast.

As he stood there in the front hall, contemplating, one of the younger servants he’d never met before approached him with a crisp envelope. “From the servants who remember,” the boy said with a smile.

Jongdae opened the package curiously and within it found enough money to get himself started at the school. He didn’t know how the staff managed to get the money, but he couldn’t accept this, as much as he needed it.

As if on cue, their massive cook came waddling over and started pushing him out the door before he could even object. “She won’t give it to you but it’s yours by right. This was the money for this school year’s tuition. Take it.”

Looking down at the money and back at the door that had just slammed in his face, he figured he should just take what little good fortune came to him. Besides, the money was supposed to be fore him from the beginning and at this point he had little qualms taking money from his mother when he knew she could afford it tenfold. Now he just had to get into the school.

In the capital, he completed the entrance exam for the university to reaffirm he was deserving of his scholarship. Fortunately, he passed with flying colours and his tuition was paid for. Now all he had to worry about were living expenses and rent, which did not come cheap in the expensive Fire Nation Capital. He knew he was going to have to work if he wanted to afford a place anywhere near the school, so he got looking.

After two nights of sleeping in a shabby hostel, waking up every 5 minutes to make sure none of his things had been stolen, he’d gone through as many listings as he could. Any of the potential roommates were disasters from the moment he met them even using Baekhyun as a standard. He truly didn’t want to go at it alone and pay twice as much but he was beginning to lose hope and the next semester began in three days.

On his way to a nearby breakfast place, Jongdae caught a tall boy with black hair posting ads on a board. Taking a closer look, Jongdae realized he was searching for a roommate and his heart leapt.

“Hello,” Jongdae said with a smile. He was well aware he looked terrible at the moment, so he tried to look as kind and genuine as possible.

“Can I help you?” the boy said in a flat voice.

Jongdae pointed towards the flyer, “It says you need a roommate and I need a place to stay for school.”

“You sure don’t look like you’re about to head back to school,” the boy said, looking Jongdae up and down.

Jongdae fished out his student card. “I’m a scholarship student. I can pay the deposit really fast I just need somewhere in this city to say that isn’t a hostel.”

Still frowning the boy pursed his lips, “The rent is expensive, you okay with that?”

When he was told the amount, Jongdae tried not to wince. It was doable, but he’d definitely need that job. “It’s totally fine,” he lied.

The boy looked a little relieved. “Next question,” he said, “Are you okay rooming with an airbender? A lot of the posh folk around here are awful snooty about the new airbenders and all of us have had a lot of trouble fitting in.”

Jongdae cocked his head in confusion. There weren’t many new airbenders around in general, but he hadn’t seen anyone in Republic City acting strange around them. He certainly didn’t see any reason to either. “I don’t know why that would be a problem, but I don’t mind. I know benders of all types; air can’t be that different.”

“You seem fine,” the boy said with narrowed eyes. “It’s weird. You look rich but you also look like you’ve been rolling around in dirt and haven’t slept in weeks.”

“Disinherited,” Jongdae forced out.

The boy nodded in sympathy but didn’t say anything on the subject and Jongdae was grateful. “Well, you’re the best offer I’ve had since the beginning of the year. The place I live in is good for three people and, since my friend moved out, it’s been me alone. It’s too nice and too close for me to just leave it. You’ll probably be able to cut me back two jobs.”

Jongdae smiled. “So, I’m accepted?”

“For a trial round,” the boy said with a slight smirk, though there was warmh in his eyes.

“I’m Jongdae, by the way,” he said, offering a traditional bow.

“Sehun,” he said, bowing a lot less formally. “I came from the northern Earth Kingdom, it’s not as fancy up there,” he said by means of explanation.

“Excellent,” Jongdae said, “I’m tired of this place and it’s traditions.”

Sehun snorted. “You and me both. Let me show you to the place and you can get settled.

–

Two weeks into the semester, Jongdae decided it was high time to look for a job. His cash was beginning to run out, and bills were starting to roll. The house he lived in now was great but Sehun wasn’t kidding when he said it was expensive. Jongdae had mentioned that he had a friend that would be arriving at the end of the year who might be interested and Sehun had begged him to do what it took to get him to move into their extra room to help them save.

For a Job, Jongdae looked at a few places. He first went to the power plants in the city with little hope that he’d find a place; in a nation of firebenders, there was no way they were going to need extra benders. He also had little experience in most other fields because he’d done little but bend and learn manners and statecraft his entire life. He racked his brain, looking through job postings with the same fervour as he had places to live. It wasn’t until he was on his way to pick up some groceries that he got an idea.

Across the street from the grocer was a large, open bending school. Every time he walked by it he was reminded of the one by the docks in Republic City, even if it looked considerably different. Because the memories of leaving were still too fresh, he hadn’t paid it much attention until now. It occurred to him that there was one thing he had considerable experience in and that was one of the few places he could do it. So, he found himself crossing the road and knocking on the door.

The door opened promptly. “Do you need something?” a cross looking woman asked him, taking in his rough appearance.

“Are you looking for bending teachers?” he asked, getting straight to the point before she slammed the door in his face.

“That depends, what do you have to teach?” she asked, opening the door a little wider. The school looked pretty run down and, judging by her reaction, he figured they might actually be in need of an instructor.

“Let me show you,” he said, offering her a smile.

She raised an eyebrow sceptically but let him inside. The place was similarly run down and there were a few students in the middle of a lesson. With a sharp clap of the woman’s hands, the children hurried to the side so Jongdae could have free reign of the open space.

“What is it you’re going to demonstrate?” she asked before he began.

He looked her in the eye, “Lightning bending. I can teach fire, but I specialize in lightning.”

She frowned but the gaggle of students started whispering among themselves with excitement. Watching them carefully, she turned back to Jongdae and nodded, giving him permission to go forth.

He did his most difficult sequences, aiming to please the children off to the side. They looked at him with eyes of wonder and clapped and whooped wildly whenever he did something particularly impressive. Even the stern teacher looked impressed by the time he was finished.

By the time he walked out of the building, he had the honour of becoming the school’s first teacher for lightning bending. A new schedule would be drawn up for him based on his own school timetable and general interest in the discipline. The head teacher assured him that there were plenty interested in the art but there weren’t enough experts around to teach it properly. It was the best job he could have asked for, even if it was also a bittersweet reminder of the past.

–

“What is this?” Jongdae asked after being handed a stack of letters. Before him stood his favourite maid from home, Sae, the one who always gave him extra bits from dinner and didn’t tell his mother what he was really doing down on the beach. She looked fearful and guilty and he knew she wasn’t supposed to be here at all.

“Master Jongdae, these are letters we’ve been receiving at the house in your name. Your mother has taken to giving them to me to destroy but I couldn’t bear to after reading the first,” she said, pointing to the opened letter on the top.

The envelope was in a crisp olive green with cream coloured paper peeking out from beneath the flap. When he flipped it over, the writing on the front was obviously Kyungsoo’s, carefully addressed to his home. Jongdae hadn’t had the time to give his address so he assumed Minseok had done so sometime before setting off for home himself.

“How long has it been since these letters came?” he asked. He could feel his throat closing in, his hands shaking as they held what must be more than twenty letters from his friends that had long gone unanswered. He imagined the worry he’d feel with no response and wondered if that’s what they were feeling now. The thought filled him with renewed rage and the horrible woman he called his mother.

She looked at him, then at the letters, and then down at her hands, as if she understood. “The first of them came only one week after you left. All mail is brought to your mother first, you know that as well as I do.” He gave her a tight-lipped smile of encouragement.

“She looked at it and sliced it open–you can see where she ripped it there. I’m pretty sure she stopped reading halfway through before tossing it all to me and telling me to throw away any such letter that came to the house. I didn’t, as you can see, but I did read that first letter to see what she saw there.” She bit her lip, knowing it wasn’t her place to have done so. 

After being out in the world for so long, he was sorry she had been trained to fear him like this even when he was helpless, all because of his mother. “It’s okay Sae, I’m not a member of the house, you can talk to me normally. I don’t mind that you read it. I’m glad you did, or I might not have found you here at my door.” He hoped his warm smile that was late in coming reached her.

“What I saw in the letter was the writing of someone who cared for and knew you better than even I did,” she said, her voice a little more confident, “He knew you like Minseok did, and it didn’t feel right keeping them from you. I wrote a quick response last week telling them your new address and came here on my day off.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

She laughed, “You were the only one who was ever kind in that house, it’s the least I could do.”

“You really should find another job, she’s never going to change, and I know you’re not happy there,” Jongdae said.

“No, I do have my own children that need the money as much as I do, and your mother pays well for our silence and obedience. I’m quite used to it.”

Jongdae still didn’t feel right just leaving her but she had already taken a step away, ready to leave. “Are you sure you’re okay living like that?” he asked.

“I chose it and I continue to do so, just like you chose what you felt best. I’m happy for you, this is the best you’ve looked since that terrible accident.” She stepped back towards him and started fixing his fringe, his clothes, and his posture like she always did when he was about to leave his room. “You take care Jongdae, and I promise I will too.”

With that she was gone, and with her, a final goodbye to his past.

Turning around and closing the door behind him, he brought his attention to the stack of letters in his hands. These were part of his present, and hopefully his future and he had a lot of catching up to do. He settled himself at the tiny dining table in the apartment and began to read.

There were 4 authors to the letters before him. Kyungsoo wrote frequently, talking about school in the city in a very concise manner. He was also very kind and got more concerned as time went on, explaining clearly how they were trying to get more information on him. Jongdae was just glad he hadn’t given up hope.

Baekhyun’s letters could be described as meaningless drivel in many senses but they had Jongdae laughing until he cried, which was what, he assumed, was the point. It made him miss living together so they could laugh at nonsense in unison. He said he was insulted Jongdae had not responded but Jongdae could tell it was poorly concealed concerned. He had given Minseok express permission to kick Jongdae’s ask when he finally made it home.

Minseok’s letters were few and far between because he was so busy, but also because he was coming back for certain. He figured his silence had something to do with his mother and he vowed to help him in whatever way possible once he got there and Jongdae sincerely appreciated the sentiment.

He read Chanyeol’s letters last. So many of them contained paragraphs of him rambling on about subjects that excited him and things he thought Jongdae would find interesting. Jongdae also noticed he got a little bolder with each letter, writing exactly what he would do if he could see Jongdae right then. Three letters in and Jongdae was blushing, heat coursing through his veins. Of course, the tone of the letters chanced just as they had in the others. Chanyeol, ever the emotional person, was so sad when he didn’t get a reply. Kyungsoo had managed to talk him out of believing Jongdae had abandoning him but it was sad to read exactly how much he was missed over and over again until tears started welling in his eyes.

Sehun, walked into the kitchen at the worst possible moment. Jongdae could feel tears in his eyes as he read the most recent of the letters. They were all laced with deep concern about him, knowing what his household was like. He’d missed them with every passing day, told Sehun about them until he practically knew them himself, and realized, with finality, that they missed him just as much. And they had no idea what he thought.

“Hey, are you okay?” Sehun asked, his voice lacking its usual playfulness.

Jongdae blew his nose with the handkerchief he’d taken to carrying around since that one episode with Chanyeol. “No,” he said miserably.

“Can I ask why?”

Jongdae just shoved the pile of opened letters at him, the most emotional being at the top. Sehun gave him another concerned note and picked up Chanyeol’s latest letter and began to read. His expression softened and he looked at Jongdae before picking up Baekhyun’s. He gave a small smile and a puff of laughter halfway through but wound up looking much the same as he had after the last letter. He finally picked up Kyungsoo’s and wasn’t even done before he rounded on Jongdae. “I can’t believe she did this to you,” he said, his face disgusted.

“It’s just how it is with her, I’m just glad I have them now.”

–

The next day Jongdae had written out letters to the addresses on the letters, apologizing and explaining what had happened. He also responded to as many of the things they had said in their letters as possible, to make up for his lack of response. For Chanyeol, he wrote an extra, very detailed description of what his letters had made Jongdae want to do. Once he had finished all of them, he shipped the thick envelopes back to Republic City and hoped they’d make it.

Within the week he had joyous responses from all four of them, relieved he was fine and cursing his mother. Minseok even said he would book a sooner flight so he could get there even earlier. 

Chanyeol’s response, again, stood out from the rest. An entire page was devoted to an extremely detailed continuation of the situation Jongdae had written. As soon as he was halfway through, he crept into his room and locked the door. He opened the ties of his jacket and shoved a hand down his pants, hardening dick in hand.

In his last letter, Jongdae had described how he’d suck Chanyeol off until he was hard, let Chanyeol work him open with his long fingers, and then split himself open on Chanyeol’s dick as he rode him. He had gone on further and further but that was the main idea. Chanyeol’s response was graphic and lewd in a way that had Jongdae holding his breath while reading.

Jongdae pumped his dick with long purposeful strokes as he began to read the letter once more. Chanyeol explained how, first, he would press Jongdae into the bed and kiss into his mouth until Jongdae was squirming beneath him, ever ready to turn the tables. Jongdae imagined Chanyeol’s knee between his legs, putting ever so satisfying pressure on his cock. Jongdae stroked faster pulling the skin back and forth as his cock came to full hardness and the head was free, pink and gleaming with the precum beading at the slit. 

Jongdae walked awkwardly to his desk chair and skid out of his pants and jacket, careful to avoid his dick, which was straining upwards, ever in need of his attention and ministrations. His breathing was raspy, eager to continue.

Next, Chanyeol decided to take advantage of an asset Jongdae had been paying attention to but never mentioned. Before that, he detailed the way he would tease into Jongdae’s asshole, making sure to leave marks where he could on Jongdae’s body and a hand on his dick. Jongdae placed the letter on his desk and scrambled through a drawer for a small bottle of oil that he slid over his fingers. He pressed against his hole and inserted one finger of his own, his dick twitching at the sensation. Soon one finger became two and then he had three fingers in except, unlike Chanyeol, he didn’t remove them. He leaned over the desk and kept going, two fingers tight around the base of his cock to keep control and three in his asshole that he fucked in and out of himself, occasionally brushing his prostate.

Jongdae reached the part that had him scrambling for his dick. Chanyeol described himself taking off his shirt, showing all of his muscles at once. While that alone was a fantastic sight, the mental image of Chanyeol picking him up so he could wrap his legs and arms around Chanyeol’s torso, full cock brushing against his ass crack, as Chanyeol held him up with his arms alone. He described how he’d press Jongdae against a wall and let Jongdae slide down onto him until Jongdae was full to the hilt–Jongdae pressed his fingers in as far as he could at this point. He explained that he would fuck Jongdae against the wall and anywhere else he managed to carry Jongdae, pressing their bodies together again and again, harder and harder until Jongdae was coming between them, held securely in Chanyeol’s arms, dick filling him up. He described himself coming shortly after, filling Jongdae with his come.

Jongdae came hard, seeing white for a moment as come hit his desk and landed on the floor. He slid his fingers out of his hole as he rubbed himself through the aftershocks. He spent a few moments simply breathing deeply and going over what had just happened in his head. All that really came to him was how much he missed Chanyeol. This part of him that yearned for his touch and the part of him that loved the Chanyeol who spent the seven other pages of his letter happily chattering away.

–

The day Minseok walked off the airship once he’d finished with his semester in Republic City and could properly transfer back to the Royal Fire Nation University was the day Jongdae felt like he’d come full circle. Even if he was still stuck in the Fire Nation for now he had his friends, his lightning, his fire, and his freedom. Seeing and welcoming back the first person who had shown him what freedom was and given him a reprieve from his oppressive childhood felt like he was truly coming home, because for him home was more people than places.

Unable to wait, Jongdae raced forward towards where Minseok was hobbling along with his trunk and embraced him so tightly that Minseok could neither speak nor breathe. Despite that, Jongdae couldn’t bear to let go, not after he’d seen the soft look on Minseok’s face once he’d spotted Jongdae.

It took about 5 more seconds for Minseok to stop indulging in Jongdae’s attempt to strangle him and start pounding him on the back in just the right places.

Groaning in pain, Jongdae took a step back without taking his hands off Minseok’s shoulders. He needed them there to be sure this was real and Minseok was back. They’d never been apart for this long and he had missed him more than anything.

“You hug me any longer and Chanyeol is going to get jealous,” Minseok said, laughing.

Jongdae groaned. “You’ve been gone for so long and that’s the first thing you say? Chanyeol knows how it is, maybe your little pen pal friend in that metalbender city would mind though.”

“You don’t even know his name,” Minseok said, with a smug, cat-like smile. “Anyway, it’s good to be home. I missed the wet humidity of the Fire Nation.”

Jongdae snorted, “They should think about renaming the capital Satan’s Asshole.”

Minseok laughed even harder at that until they were both giggling. When things calmed down, Jongdae felt another overwhelming urge to pull Minseok in close. He hadn’t realized how lonely he’d been without him, or any of his friends.

“Jongdae, I’m not going anywhere,” Minseok said softly. 

Jongdae only smiled. “I know, and I am so damn happy I could sing. Just let me hug you a little longer, you’re nice and cool.”

Minseok shoved him back. “No, no, you’re not leaching off of my secret cooling technique. Now let’s get to your place so we can catch up in some place I can make cold." I have a feeling you have a lot to tell.”

"Yes, sir," Jongdae said, before he picked up Minseok’s luggage and started walking.

"I can't wait for you to finally tell me what 's been going on. There was a lot you weren't saying in your letters."

Jongdae looked back at him, "I wanted to say it in person, you'd be going nuts if I said it all in letters."

Minseok thought for a moment. "I suppose you're right."

"See? Let's get to my place and we can eat while we talk. I have a lot to say," he said cryptically.

"Lead the way then." Minseok ordered, and they started walking to the end of the pier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Useless Trivia: In my version, the airbenders came back earlier because of some cosmic/spiritual effort to return balance to the world that happened naturally. Hoards of random non-benders became airbenders and the whole mess was not very cohesive. They're not well liked in the Fire Nation because of conflicting opinions on the war, the air nomad avatar, and the genocide of the original airbenders.
> 
> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)


	6. Book Five - Warmth

**_Present: 27 Years Old_ **

****

Sehun whirled his way down a rope and over to the lower deck of the airship, landing on a cushion of air in front of Jongdae. “It’ll be a few minutes before we get there, you should probably grab your things,” he said, trying to keep the small smile from his face. He was just as excited as Jongdae was to arrive in Republic City.

They were finally free, Sehun from his service to the United Republic forces and Jongdae from his long education into the practical uses of electricity as they related to lightning bending. Weeks on this confounded ship and years of being roommates at school they had become close friends and knew exactly what it meant to come here.

Jongdae gaze out at the tall skyscrapers and the islands dotting the bay that somehow felt like home, even if he hadn’t lived there for all that long. Anticipation bubbled in Jongdae’s gut. He hadn’t any of his friends or colleagues since he’d been dragged away from the place by his mother and enrolled in the Royal Fire Nation University once he left his home for good, despite the fact that he could bend enough to not be an embarrassment to the family name. 

After finishing an engineering degree and a masters in bending studies, specializing in the lightning subcategory of firebending, he was free to do as he pleased. Of course, that was after he acquired the funds to pay off his schooling debt and gather enough funds to make it back to the city and have a place to live.

He’d managed to get proper documents to enter the city all on his own, printed with Firebender in his description to avoid his earlier dilemma. He felt more in control of his life than he ever had. This was a decision he was making, a decision to do what he wanted in life and a decision to meet with the people he had left behind. One person in particular, if he’d still have him. If things weren’t strange when they finally saw each other after so many years.

“Earth to Jongdae, we have about ten minutes,” Sehun said, shoving him in the shoulder.

Jongdae gave Sehun a small shock and he yelped. “I’m going,” Jongdae said, “just let me have a moment will you?”

“Okay, okay, I’ll go get your stuff for you while you think wistfully about your lover. I know how many times you read his last letter,” Sehun said with a smirk.

Jongdae swatted at him but Sehun blew himself away with a puff of air and headed off towards their cabin.

When they were on solid ground, Jongdae saw Minseok waiting for them on the docks. “Minseok!” Jongdae called, jumping onto the dock from up above. Sehun fluttered down after him with considerably more grace. As soon as Jongdae stepped onto the quay he rushed forward to drag his friend into a hug. Minseok had left ahead of them because he had an internship with the Southern Water Tribe ambassador in the city once he’d finished his schooling with them in the Fire Nation.

“Welcome back,” Minseok said, face pressed into Jongdae’s shoulder.

Sehun rolled his eyes. “Minseok, you saw us three weeks ago before we were sent off on this mission. You only just got here.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t miss him,” Minseok said, defensively, holding Jongdae even closer.

Minseok did his best to catch Jongdae up on what was going on with each of their friends while he had been in the city. Of course, he hadn’t been there long, so he didn’t have much to tell. He’d eaten with Baekhyun, who was busy at the police office alongside Kyungsoo, but in different departments. Chanyeol was hard to get a hold of, so he hadn’t met with him yet. He also reassured Jongdae they were excited to see him again and more than willing to help Jongdae and Sehun in their search for Jobs.

In his last letter, Baekhyun had shot down any notions of them getting jobs at his family company and instead gave vague instructions to come down to the police office for further instruction. Minseok confirmed these instructions, so Jongdae felt that there was no time like the present and led the way to the Police Station in downtown Republic City, all of their luggage in tow.

Halfway through their trip, Minseok looked at the watch he kept in the breast pocket of his well-kept suit and his eyes went wide. “I’m so sorry, but I have to run to a meeting. You have fun running into everyone else. I’ll be around to have drinks later and you can tell me of your adventures in the air.” Jongdae was sad to see him go but understood the necessity of staying on top of work.

Shortly after Minseok left, Jongdae spotted Baekhyun heading for the Police Headquarters. “Baekhyun!” he called.

Baekhyun looked around until he saw Jongdae and his mouth opened comically. He stalked straight over to where they stood and pulled Jongdae into a tight hug. Jongdae breathed in his familiar sent and felt the peace that came with finally coming back to someone you care for.

“How was your trip?” Baekhyun asked once he’d pulled back. He was still hanging off of Jongdae’s side, as if he couldn’t get enough of his presence now that he had it again.

Jongdae grimaced, “It was a military airship, so it was beyond disgusting even if we spent half the time cleaning it.” Sehun nodded in agreement.

“Well, you’re here now and that’s what matters,” Baekhyun said, swinging an arm around Jongdae and guiding him towards the police station. “Now let’s bring you to Kyungsoo because I want to see the look on his face when you show up at the office. He still thinks the first time he sees you will be when we all go out for dinner.”

Jongdae rolled his eyes, but allowed himself to be dragged away, Sehun following close behind.

“Wait,” Jongdae said, digging in his heels and forcing Baekhyun to stop. “Before you take me anywhere, tell me about that job you have for me.”

Baekhyun looked puzzled for a moment and Jongdae’s heart sank. He really didn’t want to go job searching again. “Ah,” Baekhyun said suddenly, “Right, your job. Chanyeol managed to pull some strings getting your thesis sent around to the professors in the bending departments. They’re interested in your studies and offered you a position. The letter should be at Kyungsoo’s house. You can accept and be teaching in a month.”

Jongdae kept his expression neutral. He had no idea Chanyeol had gone through so much effort for him, especially considering his correspondence with Chanyeol had grown less frequent and had begun to feel the distance between them more than with any of the others.

“Well?” Baekhyun prompted. “What do you think?”

“It’s perfect, I’ll look into it when I get home,” Jongdae said with a smile. He knew Sehun was watching him carefully with those eyes that saw too much. He flashed Sehun a glare just to make sure he understood that he was not to say anything.

Minutes later, they walked into the police station and Baekhyun led them into the room where all of the detectives worked. As soon as they came through the door, there was a loud thunk as someone dropped something heavy. When Jongdae searched for the source of the noise he was surprised to lock eyes with Kyungsoo, now clad in the uniform of the elite metalbending unit of the police.

“Jongdae?” he said, hesitantly.

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out,” Jongdae said, enjoying the way Kyungsoo’s face scrunched up in distaste. It didn’t stay that way for long though, because he was soon smiling again and accepting Jongdae’s big hug.

“I take it you got my letter?” Kyungsoo asked. 

“Yep, I take it my things all arrived safely?” Jongdae asked in return.

Kyungsoo laughed, “I supervised Chanyeol carrying it all in myself, he didn’t break a thing.”

When Jongdae had found out he would be able to return to Republic City that year, he had written to Kyungsoo in hopes of finding a place to live. Kyungsoo had offered him one of the rooms in his apartment because neither he nor his roommate were using it. Jongdae’s heart ached when Kyungsoo mentioned said roommate was Chanyeol, but he said nothing of it in the letter. He merely accepted the kind offer, told him when he’d be arriving, and that he was going to be working at the university.

“What about Sehun?” Jongdae asked, pointing towards him. Sehun had been mostly silent up until then, looking around the station with curiosity.

The mention of his name drew him from his thoughts, and he looked between all of them with a frown. “What about me?”

“We’re supposed to be here getting you a job,” Jongdae said, folding his arms.

Sehun shoved his hands into his pockets, “I mean, I don’t have to work here. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at modelling.”

“He could always work here and move up in the world with a little money as a cushion,” Baekhyun said, his head cocked.

Sehun turned to him and nodded in agreement, “I like the way you think. So, what is this job you have for me?”

Baekhyun grinned. It was not the kind of grin that put Jongdae at ease in any way whatsoever. “Our Deputy Chief of Police–or, well, acting Chief of Police needs a new secretary, one skilled at fighting. I told him I’d find a suitable person, but I really don’t have the time for that, and you have a degree plus experience. That’s all you really need.”

Kyungsoo frowned, looking two steps from boxing Baekhyun’s ears. “This is your idea of getting someone a job?”

“A job is a job,” Baekhyun said, moving away from Kyungsoo.

“So, who is it I’m working for and how much money is on the table?” Sehun interrupted. He raised a brow and looked between Baekhyun and Kyungsoo.

“He’s the brown-haired guy talking to the skinny waterbender. Kim Junmyeon. He’s nice enough and good at his job. You make far more money than most, so, if I were you, I’d take it.”

Baekhyun was watching Sehun with interest, but Sehun was no longer paying Baekhyun any mind. Sehun’s attention was narrowed on Junmyeon. Jongdae could sense his eyes taking every detail in. He knew within seconds that Sehun was going to take this job and that he would probably win Junmyeon’s heart while he was at it.

“Deal,” Sehun said with a wolfish grin, “When do I start?”

Kyungsoo sighed and looked at the spot where Baekhyun had recently vacated. “You start tomorrow. They’ll give you a uniform when you get here. You’ll mentor with some of the others before you take up your post. You have a place to stay right?”

“Yeah, my friend Jongin has a loft not far from here,” Sehun said, jerking his head in the direction of the place.

After that, Kyungsoo gave Sehun a mountain of paperwork to go through. He was lucky he’d been in the army and a lot of the screening tests were the same. With that settled, Kyungsoo said his shift was over now and he could bring them to his apartment, which was a little closer to the university.

Kyungsoo’s apartment overlooked the river and was located in one of the nicer parts of town where the buildings had room to breathe. It was large and traditional with sliding doors, though the two rooms that were open had beds in them. He was informed that the third was occupied by Chanyeol, who was almost certainly asleep after pulling an all-nighter grading exams.

“Your room is over there,” Kyungsoo said, pointing towards the smaller room beside the living space. “I’m sorry about the size and the extra clutter. Chanyeol didn’t take all of his things out yet and that’s the only room I had left.”

“It’s bigger than the bunk I lived in on the air ship so it’s just fine,” Jongdae reassured him. In fact, the room he’d been given wan much less cramped than the one he’s spent far too much time in while working on the military airship and looked considerably nicer. His small amount of worldly possessions was all neatly put away or put on display.

“You’re sure it’s okay?” Kyungsoo asked.

“Kyungsoo,” he said seriously, “it’s the best room I’ve ever had. Please don’t worry about it and go to bed, you look dead on your feet. I’ll go downstairs to one of the food stalls for dinner.”

Kyungsoo looked like he was about to protest but instead yawned deeply and waved to Jongdae before swaying over to his room. Jongdae watched him go with a small smile. He’d missed his gruff but very sweet friend.

He ended up grabbing some kind of fish for dinner and then collapsed in his own bed, dead to the world.

–

Late, Jongdae was late to his job interview and he was not at all prepared for what he was about to encounter. It was a horrible start to what would turn into a mostly horrible day and he would have much rather stayed in bed. He hurried into the office where he was grilled on his education and past experiences and then taken out into the training yard to demonstrate.

Some of the teachers at the school hadn’t changed since he’d last been there and he took small pleasure in watching their mouths hang open when they saw what he could really do. He was no longer some weakling struggling with a spear, he was strong doing something he enjoyed and had a gift for.

As soon as he finished, they all applauded much like the children had at the bending school in the Fire Nation and they assured him he would have the position. He was handed a schedule that was busy but not unmanageable and assigned a shared office with other young professors. When he saw the list of names he was both relieved and saddened to see that Chanyeol was not one of them.

He hadn’t even seen Chanyeol since he had arrived and every time he thought about him, his stomach twisted with anxiety. Ever since their letters had started to tailor off, things had started feeling odd between them, and he wasn’t sure if that feeling would transfer into reality.

This was where Jongdae’s day took a turn for the worse.

When he arrived back at Kyungsoo’s apartment, he saw Chanyeol sitting at the kitchen table. He was pouring over scrolls and taking notes with an old-fashioned brush and ink stone. He looked older, more mature than he had before, but just as handsome. If Jongdae had to say, he was even more attractive, having filled out. He took a moment to appreciate Chanyeol’s look of intense concentration. He got so engrossed in his work it was as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. It was fascinating to watch.

The spell ended when Jongdae dropped his key, causing Chanyeol’s head to shoot up and look in his direction. “Sorry,” Jongdae said quietly, as if that would make anything better.

Chanyeol just continued to look at him, blinking owlishly. The silence between them started to grow oppressive and Jongdae suddenly felt like running away into his room. For now, he stood his ground.

“Hey,” he said. He was well aware of how awkward he was, but he was fairly certain that anything he did in this situation would be awkward.

Chanyeol paused before replying, “Hey.”

“It’s been a while, how are you?” Jongdae forced out. It felt strange talking to him as if they didn’t know each other so intimately in the past. The problem was, he didn’t know the present Chanyeol at all and had no idea where to start in figuring him out.

“M’good, I have to finish this research by tomorrow so I need all the concentration I can get. Soo left out some food for you because he has the night shift today.” Chanyeol pointed towards a carefully arranged dinner, complete with side dishes, set aside by Kyungsoo. He then returned to his work without another word.

Jongdae knew there was something he needed to say, something he was missing here, but he was too tired and too confused to figure it out, so he grabbed his food and retreated to his room. It was painful watching the love of his youth act so coldly, or rather, awkwardly towards him. He knew he was being odd as well and until one of them cracked, he had a feeling this would only continue, leaving them stuck in an awkward dance in which neither of them would take the first step.

–

When Jongdae got home that evening, dropping his briefcase by the door, he was immediately accosted by Kyungsoo and dragged back out into the evening air.

“Kyungsoo,” Jongdae said, trying to escape Kyungsoo’s iron-like grip on his forearm, “where are you taking me?”

“We’re going for a drink,” he said with such finality Jongdae simply let himself be led wherever Kyungsoo took him.

Once they were both settled with one beer each in one of the nicer dive bars in the area, Kyungsoo looked like he was finally willing to explain why he had dragged Jongdae all the way out here in the first place. Just in case, Jongdae waited for him to speak first.

“I can’t take this anymore,” Kyungsoo said into his drink before taking a gulp.

Jongdae frowned, “Take what?”

Kyungsoo looked into Jongdae’s face, “Jongdae you need to do something it’s driving me mad.”

“You need to actually tell me what the problem is if you want me to fix it,” Jongdae said, raising his voice out of frustration. Kyungsoo looked so distraught he was starting to feel anxious.

“You and Chanyeol. The two of you are so unbearably awkward I can’t stand it anymore. Can’t you go back to the way you were before, gross and sappy?”

Jongdae blinked. He wasn’t entirely sure where he expected this conversation to go but he was not overly fond of the idea that it was going to delve into the part of his life causing him the most pain and suffering. “You know I can’t just make the awkwardness go away.”

“Please, at the very least, talk to him. You two don’t even speak.” Kyungsoo took another deep sip of beer.

“Sure we do.”

Kyungsoo knocked shoulders with him, “Basic sentences don’t count. Look, I don’t even care if you stay as friends or end up fucking in the house, just promise me you’ll try to do something.”

Jongdae gaped at the fact that Kyungsoo would even admit such a thing ever. Just how annoying were they that Kyungsoo would forgive them hypothetically fucking in his apartment? Still, he wasn’t about to make any shifts when he wasn’t ready. “Who says I want that kind of thing anymore?”

“You do. At night.” Kyungsoo said flatly. He drained the rest of his beer.

Jongdae didn’t know what to say to that. “Fuck,” he said, downing his own beer.

“Exactly, please fuck Chanyeol and my problems will be solved.”

“I’m not going to fuck Chanyeol just because you told me to Kyungsoo,” Jongdae huffed.

“Either you will, or he will because I told you both the exact same thing, now let’s go home,” Kyungsoo dropped some money for the alcohol and a tip on the counter and started making his way out the door.

Jongdae watched his retreating back, thinking about the past month he’d spent in that apartment. He would be lying if he said he didn’t want to fuck Chanyeol because that was one constant that hadn’t changed through the years, he just hadn’t found a way to reconnect. He did know that Kyungsoo was now very irritated with them both and he really needed a solution because he didn’t want to know what the consequences were.

–

Opportunity struck only five days later, when Jongdae was alone in his office, stacking tests he had finished marking so he could hand them out to his students the next day. He still wasn’t quite used to teaching in this environment, but the students’ general interest made things easier.

A knock at the door made Jongdae drop his pen in surprise. He turned around to see who had interrupted him

“Hey,” a voice he knew all too well rasped from the entrance.

Jongdae stared at Chanyeol, who was leaning awkwardly against the doorframe. He was wearing one of the clingy bending instructor uniforms that emphasized his more muscular physique in all the right places.

“Hey,” Jongdae offered in return. He noted that this was the most they’d spoken in the past two days.

They both stopped, watching each other while not quite meeting each-other’s eyes. on Jongdae hadn’t had the opportunity to really look at Chanyeol since they’d reunited. What he saw now made him regret he hadn’t tried harder to makeup. Six years was a long time and present-day Chanyeol was more attractive than even the one in Jongdae’s imagination. He’d seen Chanyeol’s black hair at home, but it was pushed back today, making him look older. He’d somehow acquired muscles that made Jongdae both envious and extremely turned on, and the tattoos that ran across them only made things worse.

Realizing he’d let the silence go on for too long, Jongdae asked, “Why are you here?” He kept his tone pleasant as he put his finished papers aside.

Chanyeol scratched his nose and gave Jongdae a tight-lipped smile, finally looking him in the eye. “A mutual friend of ours is awfully invested in our business and I promised myself that if I had to die, it would not be by his hands.”

Jongdae released a breathy laugh. Kyungsoo really had tried to get through to both of them. He was grateful Kyungsoo had, at the very least, been a little more merciful to him. “Said mutual friend also spoke with me on this matter.”

Chanyeol looked unsure about how to continue. “Kyungsoo said–”

“I know what Kyungsoo said Chanyeol, I want to hear what you have to say.” Jongdae worked hard to keep his voice from shaking, so it came out more forcefully than he’d intended.

He couldn’t believe he was this nervous, but every possible scenario of their reunion he’d imagined never ended up like this. He knew he still loved Chanyeol, knew it from watching him the past few days and seeing the same person he knew was still there. He just wasn’t sure if Chanyeol still loved him, and he was too much of a coward to ask him aloud.

Chanyeol held up his hands in defence. “All right, all right, please don’t get mad,” he said in alarm.

“I’m not mad Chanyeol, just keep going.”

Chanyeol took a deep breath and stepped forward. “I’m willing to make this work…if you feel the same, that is.”

Relief and joy swept through Jongdae. Finally, the words he had been hoping to hear from Chanyeol had been voiced.

“Yes,” Jongdae said too quickly. Chanyeol gave him an odd look, so he then corrected, “Yes, I do. I do want to make this work. I missed you while I was gone.”

Chanyeol’s shoulders relaxed and the lines in his face softened, making him look even younger. “You mean it?” he asked seriously, eyes shining.

Jongdae nodded. “Of course, I do, you’re still the same person. We were just apart for too long; we have to figure out how to be with each other in person again. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Yeah, we can make up for the time-space distance.”

Jongdae deliberated what he wanted to do next. Chanyeol had been inching his way from the doorframe, over to where Jongdae was standing. Throughout their conversation, Jongdae had been unable to tear his eyes away, feeling heat start to simmer under his skin. While he was gone, he had one or two other lovers, but no one made him feel quite like this. Jongdae closed the gap between them, committing himself pressing himself against Chanyeol and wrapping his arms around his neck. Chanyeol was the one who had spoken first, so now it was his turn to be courageous.

“You mean like this?” Jongdae asked, one eyebrow cocked.

“Yes,” Chanyeol said, wrapping his hands around Jongdae’s waist, “exactly like this.”

“Good,” Jongdae hummed before pulling Chanyeol down and pressing their lips together for the first time in years.

Jongdae bathed in the joy and the lust that came with feeling Chanyeol’s mouth moving against his own. He marveled at the way their bodies seemed to remember habits he thought they’d long forgotten. Being pressed up against Chanyeol, wrapped up securely in his arms, felt like coming home. He held on like his life depended on it. Now that he had a taste of what he’d once lost, he never wanted to let it go again.

They kissed and touched greedily, as if to make up for all of their lost time at once. They moved fast, pressed harder, and allowed themselves to make noise because neither of them wanted to lose what they had again.

Jongdae hummed insistently as he sucked on Chanyeol’s lower lip. Understanding immediately, Chanyeol opened his mouth and allowed Chanyeol to deepen the kiss, pressing his tongue inside Chanyeol’s mouth with force and licking in until Chanyeol moaned and shifted against him. Chanyeol got his revenge as he slid one of his long legs between Jongdae’s, putting sudden pressure on his cock. Jongdae growled, but then began rocking his hips back and forth, rubbing himself on Chanyeol’s muscled thigh.

The more they continued, the more Jongdae was sure this was the right decision. His mind was sinking into a state of bliss even as his heartbeat went faster, pushing hot blood through his veins like fire.

Chanyeol broke the kiss, breathing heavily. He stared at Jongdae with wonder and disbelief in his eyes. “Welcome back,” he said between breaths, offering a smile.

Jongdae pressed a kiss against Chanyeol’s mouth before giving him a dazzling smile, “It’s good to be back.”

Without further ado, Chanyeol placed a kiss at the corner of Jongdae’s mouth, and another at the base of his jaw, where he sucked a small mark. He continued down Jongdae’s neck, all the while moving his leg between Jongdae’s knees. Jongdae hung in Chanyeol’s arms, head back, hips straining forward, pleased but not satisfied with the situation. He could feel his cock swelling quickly with need and very much wanted to move on to something more stimulating.

Jongdae reached for the ties on Chanyeol’s pants only for Chanyeol’s hand to wrap around his wrist to still him.

“What?” Jongdae huffed, unable to escape Chanyeol’s grip.

“Office sex, really?” Chanyeol asked, voice hoarse.

Jongdae scoffed, “Are you really a professor if you haven’t had sex in your office at least once?”

“We’re going to be professors all year,” Chanyeol reminded him, “As fun as it sounds, I’d rather we don’t christen your office quite yet, not when I have a perfectly good bed that we can use.” Chanyeol said, putting Jongdae’s hand on his desk.

Jongdae pouted, “You’re no fun. What happened to you?”

“Adulthood and the need to prevent back pain,” Chanyeol answered promptly. Jongdae laughed long and hard. The idea of Chanyeol being an adult was so preposterous that the man himself started laughing.

“Come on,” Chanyeol said, wheezing, “we have make-up fucking to do and we’re still a long way from my bed.”

“Say no more. Lead the way Adult Supervisor™,” Jongdae said, still laughing.

Chanyeol wrapped Jongdae’s hand in his and tugged him out of the office, then the building, and then onto the street car. Not once did they let go of each other’s hands.

Once they were home, Chanyeol slammed Jongdae against the door and pressed their lips together. They stood there for a while until they were both panting. 

“Thought you said something about a bed?” Jongdae said, eyebrow cocked.

“Haven’t you ever heard of build up? We’ll get there soon enough”

Jongdae laughed and started walking towards Chanyeol’s room, stripping himself of most of his clothes. So that he was in nothing but his under shorts when Chanyeol walked in.

“Okay, let’s continue,” Jongdae said as he cupped Chanyeol through his pants, massaging his cock through the fabric. “It looks like we’re going to have to start all over. You were nice and hard in my office,” Jongdae added, his hand still moving against Chanyeol’s cock, making his breath hitch.

“‘M fine with that,” Chanyeol said, sliding his hands around Jongdae’s waist and slid them down to his hips. He used his thumbs to draw patterns in the tender skin between them, just above the hem of his shorts. Jongdae shivered at the roughness of Chanyeol’s callouses on his soft skin, so close to where he truly wanted them to touch.

Jongdae tried not to squirm at Chanyeol’s touch and gave his next order. “Good, then get rid of this.” Jongdae poked his other finger into the fabric covering Chanyeol’s chest.

Chanyeol responded by pulling off his shirt, revealing muscles that were even more spectacular and beefy than they used to be. Jongdae ran his hands over each of them; they were firm yet soft to the touch. He could do this all day. Eventually he placed his mouth against one of Chanyeol’s shoulder and started kissing and sucking, moving from muscle to muscle.

All this time, Jongdae’s hand had continued to massage Chanyeol’s cock through his shorts and could feel him growing harder the more Jongdae sucked at his skin.

Chanyeol did nothing but continue to rub infuriating circles with his thumbs. Jongdae wished he could make it stop but that would mean stopping what he was doing and that wasn’t allowed either.

Once he was satisfied with his work Jongdae asked, “Can I take off the rest?”

Chanyeol grinned, tightening his grip on Jongdae’s hips. “Yes.”

Happy with his invitation, Jongdae made quick work of Chanyeol’s pants and pushed him onto the bed. He pulled Chanyeol’s under shorts off, leaving his hardening cock to rest against his leg. He’d deal with that later.

Jongdae positioned himself between Chanyeol’s legs so he could kiss and bruise to Chanyeol’s leg muscles, going higher and higher until Chanyeol’s cock was brushing against his cheek as it was hard enough to start standing.

With one hand, Jongdae started massaging Chanyeol’s balls. His ministrations saw Chanyeol’s cock grow thicker and firmer as it filled out. Jongdae helped the process along by switching to the base of his cock and giving short, firm strokes, to help things along. Chanyeol’s cock was now straining upwards towards his stomach, leaking precum Jongdae swiped away with his thumb. Jongdae moved so he could look at Chanyeol’s face from where he had thrown it back.

“Please, just do it,” Chanyeol said, sounding strained. Even without being touched, his erection continued to swell, before Jongdae’s eyes. curving upwards towards his stomach, starting to leak precum.

Jongdae only hummed and smiled into the light kisses he placed along Chanyeol’s stomach, until the muscles started to flex as Chanyeol sought release. Jongdae licked at the tip of Chanyeol’s cock before licking a long stripe along the bottom where it curved up so nicely. He grasped the base with his hand and took the head of Chanyeol’s cock into his mouth, letting the warmth of it send waves of arousal through Chanyeol before he continued teasing at the head, pressing at the slit and swirling with his tongue before he took Chanyeol in as far as he could go.

His tongue flat, Chanyeol’s cock filled his mouth to the back of his throat as Chanyeol gasped at the warmth. Jongdae placed a hand on Chanyeol’s hips and pulled his mouth back and forth along Chanyeol’s dick, pausing once to kiss him solidly on the mouth, letting him taste himself on Jongdae’s lips before Jongdae returned to his ministrations with vigor.

“I’m gonna…” Chanyeol huffed, but Jongdae didn’t pull off. He swallowed, sucking Chanyeol dry and rubbing him through his climax with his hand. He could only see Chanyeol’s expression by looking up as far as he could, but when he did he felt his own dick throb, begging for release.

“That was amazing,” Chanyeol said, dazed.

Jongdae smiled and fell against the bed beside him, “Did you expect any less?”

“No, it was just a nice reminder.” Chanyeol said. “Speaking of reminders, what are we going to do about that?” Chanyeol said, indicating Jongdae’s own uncomfortable erection still trapped beneath the fabric of his shorts.

Chanyeol smiled and pulled down the front of Jongdae’s under shorts without warning and wrapped his entire hand around Jongdae’s throbbing cock. Jongdae’s cock fit oh so perfectly and snugly in Chanyeol’s hand he nearly came right there, and he was circled by warmth, kneading him where he needed it. He’d nearly forgotten what it felt like to be held like this.

“You like that?” Chanyeol asked, his voice low and husky.

“Mmmm,” Jongdae replied. “But,” Jongdae purred, “as much as I like your hand, I can think of other things that are soft and tight that will make us both happy.”

“Say no more,” Chanyeol said, the eagerness in his voice ruining the husky effect. It was still cute though and Jongdae couldn’t help but smile as he scrambled to find some kind of lube.

“Aha,” he proclaimed as he pulled a bottle from the bedside table. “It’s nice if you use it on yourself too, I haven’t been fucking around,” he explained hastily when Jongdae gave him a questioning look, “your letters were something else and it was, uh, recommended.”

“Okay, okay, I’m not judging.” Jongdae rose his hands in resignation. “Now are you going to give me that bottle or not.”

Chanyeol obediently handed Jongdae the bottle, and Jongdae wasted no time pouring it over his fingers, warming it up. “Spread,” Jongdae ordered. Chanyeol complied quickly, exposing his hole readily. When he did so, Jongdae got a better view of his cock, a second erection building, sending another wave of arousal through him. At this rate he wasn’t going to last through visuals alone.

“Hurry up,” Chanyeol said, reaching for his own cock in order to start stroking it slowly, working himself up.

Instead of answering, Jongdae reached in and started circling Chanyeol’s hole with one finger before pressing inside. Chanyeol groaned at the back of his throat and started stroking faster.

Jongdae tapped Chanyeol’s hand with the one that wasn’t searching for his prostate. “Stop that,” he whined, “you’re not coming again before I do.” Chanyeol glared at him but complied, relinquishing his hold.

Satisfied, Jongdae added another finger, and then another until Chanyeol was rocking his hips back and forth along Jongdae’s fingers in a frustrated effort to make him go faster. Jongdae pulled his fingers out and wiped them on a discarded shirt. His own erection had gone untouched since Chanyeol had let go aside from brushing against the bed. Precum was leaking down and falling in droplets on the sheets and, now that he wasn’t otherwise distracted, his own need threatened to make him spill before he even got started.

Jongdae gingerly put his hand on his cock to guide it into position before Chanyeol’s entrance, letting Chanyeol know he was there before pushing in slowly. Chanyeol moved his hips in positive response and Jongdae pushed himself inside.

The sensation of Chanyeol’s tight warmth around his cock caused him to let out a loud groan. The heat engulfed him and, with each clench of Chanyeol’s muscles, he felt like he was going to break at any minute. He but his lip and pressed the rest of his length inside, completely sheathed, with his hips against Chanyeol’s thighs. He could feel Chanyeol moving beneath him around his cock as he got used to the feeling of being full, only increasing the sensations.

“Holy shit,” Chanyeol muttered, looking at the point where they were connected. He’d taken the words right out of Jongdae’s mouth as he stared down to where Chanyeol lay spread out before him. Chanyeol’s cock had grown hard more quickly than last time, with Jongdae’s fingers bringing him closer to his peak much more quickly. With every movement Jongdae made pressing inside, he grew more strained and hung heavier over his toned stomach. The sighe was nice enough Jongdae almost wished he could just stay like this.

Jongdae leaned down to kiss Chanyeol, adjusting himself inside. As they kissed, Jongdae started moving his hips back and forth, thrusting in short bursts that increased gradually in depth and speed. Before long he was sliding in and out with Chanyeol’s legs around him to keep him there. Jongdae angled himself just right even despite Chanyeol’s hold, until he found Chanyeol’s prostate again.

Chanyeol moaned and started moving his own hips. Jongdae quickly noticed Chanyeol’s muscles start to clench as his back arched and wrapped his fingers tightly around the base of Chanyeol’s now painfully hard dick, keeping him from coming.

In retaliation Chanyeol used force to flip them over once Jongdae was fully inside again and he was on top, grinding down onto Jongdae’s cock with force. His hands were pressed on either side of Jongdae’s face and Jongdae could see the veins around his muscles as they held him up while he moved up and down.

Seconds later Jongdae was coming hard into Chanyeol and Chanyeol was painting lines of thick come along Jongdae’s torso. Chanyeol didn’t stop riding him until he’d finished.

After they’d both come down from their highs and cleaned up a little, they were curled up side by side on Chanyeol’s bed, sleepy and comfortable.

After a few moments of silence, Jongdae was struck with an ideas as to how they could start reconnecting again. It was something he’d been thinking about at different occasions during their time apart, whenever he happened to think of Chanyeol. It wasn’t a totally original idea, but it was something special to both of them and better than nothing.

“Chanyeol?” Jongdae asked, checking if he was asleep.

“Mmph,” Chanyeol answered groggily.

“What if we started up bending lessons again. My firebending could still use some work and your lightning bending…” Jongdae trailed off. In one of his more recent letters, Chanyeol had mentioned he was still having trouble actually getting it to work. At all.

Chanyeol turned to look up at him, a smirk on his face. “Couldn’t stay away from your favourite student?”

Jongdae shoved Chanyeol’s shoulder while rolled over, laughing. “Come on, I’m trying to meet in the middle so we can make this work.”

Chanyeol’s expression softened. “I know, I know, and I do like the idea. Just me and you all sweaty in the bending yard, fire and passion.” Chanyeol was off laughing again at the exasperation on Jongdae’s face.

“So, you’re in?” Jongdae asked Chanyeol as he sobered up.

“I still need to learn how to bend lightning, so yes. We also have a lot of catching up to do, which is great if we’re both…. “

“Do not finish that sentence and go to sleep Chanyeol,” Jongdae said, turning over to face the wall.

Chanyeol hummed but didn’t say anything more. He moved so that his body was curled around Jongdae’s, one arm slung around Jongdae’s waist. Jongdae leaned back against Chanyeol, feeling comfortable and at ease. He fell asleep soundly surrounded by Chanyeol, something he could see himself doing for a long, long time.

–

When Jongdae and Chanyeol finally had some time to themselves, they took a streetcar down to the docks and Chanyeol showed Jongdae that the old bending school was, indeed, operational. He hadn’t been there in a while, he explained, but he used to come in and give special lessons and was thinking of doing so again.

“I can help out,” Jongdae said, “Maybe if you study with the beginners you’ll end up learning something.”

“Hey, fuck you,” Chanyeol said, though his words had little bite. He reached out for Jongdae, but he slid out of Chanyeol’s grasp.

“My teaching methods were so effective on the beginners I taught in the Fire Nation; I wonder why you haven’t succeeded.”

“Maybe I’m a troubled student too focused on the teacher and not the subject,” Chanyeol said, finally catching up and wrapping his arms around Jongdae’s waist.

Jongdae sighed, “We might as well just admit the roleplay is our thing now.”

Chanyeol laughed, “It really is, isn’t it? Well master teacher, please show me the way of lightning bending and perhaps we can stimulate each other in other ways later on.”

Jongdae made a disgusted face, causing Chanyeol to laugh harder. “Only if you never say it like that again.”

“Deal.”

For the rest of the day they did just that, taking advantage of the empty school until dusk.

After that, they went out for beer at one of the bars near their apartment and stumbled home arm in arm, falling through the door together. Kyungsoo had come running to see what had happened and frowned when he saw the two of them laughing their asses off, lying entangled at the entrance.

“I’m glad you two made up, but you can at least go to a bedroom first,” Kyungsoo said. He was wearing his yellow apron and had obviously been cooking them something for when they got home. Even while drunk, Jongdae didn’t buy Kyungsoo’s grumpy routine. He knew full well that, aside from the loud sex, he was happy for his friends. He was probably going to move out within the month, but it was nice having the three of them happy and content again.

–

Jongdae was taking a sip of water after working through the most difficult sequences he knew. He was extremely close to getting them right, he just needed more practice. As he thought about ways to improve, he heard the telltale sound of uncontrolled lightning striking something.

Jongdae stilled, his brain taking a moment to register what had just happened. He dropped his cup into the sink and spun around to look at Chanyeol, eyes wide and searching. Before him stood Chanyeol in the middle of the yard, frozen in position. His index and forefinger together were pointing towards a dark spot on one of the walls and he stood in the final stance used in basic lightning bending. Chanyeol looked utterly incredulous, his head darting between Jongdae and the results of what he’d just done.

Jongdae didn’t hesitate. He couldn’t find the right words to speak so, with a smile blooming on his face, he sprinted towards Chanyeol and leaped into his arms. He wrapped his legs around Chanyeol’s waist to keep himself there, forcing Chanyeol to support his weight.

“You did it, you bent lightning!” Jongdae exclaimed, finding his voice again.

Chanyeol still looked a little dumbstruck, staring at the mark in disbelief. “Did I?” he asked, his tone distracted.

Despite the fact that reality hadn’t quite sunk in yet for Chanyeol, Jongdae could tell he was pleased from the smile spreading across his face. He adjusted his arms so that he could support Jongdae a bit more comfortably as he became more focused.

Jongdae placed one hand on either side of Chanyeol’s face and turned him until they were face to face. “You did, that was all you.”

“You sure?” Chanyeol breathed. He stared at Jongdae’s face as if searching it for the truth.

Jongdae gave him a chaste kiss and smiled. “I’ve never been surer. You finally did it.”

“I–,“ Chanyeol began before he choked up and the words died on his tongue.

Jongdae pulled him into a hug. “I’m so proud” he said into Chanyeol’s shoulder, “You gave me the fire I searched so long for, I’m glad I was finally able to help give you something in return.”

When Jongdae pulled back Chanyeol’s eyes were swimming with emotion, tears threatening to fall down his cheeks. Without thinking, Jongdae followed his immediate impulse to cup Chanyeol’s jaw and kiss him gently once, twice, until Chanyeol’s until expression changed from dazed to ecstatic and he was smiling every time their lips met.

Chanyeol chased Jongdae’s next kiss, wanting more, except he was too eager and lost his balance. They both fell to the ground, limbs intertwined until Jongdae sat up and swung a leg over Chanyeol’s body to straddle him. Even after falling, Jongdae peppered him with more kisses that grew longer and deeper and Chanyeol was pulling him tight against his chest.

“I really did it, didn’t I?” Chanyeol asked, breathlessly. His eyes were shining with excitement.

“You did.”

“You knew I could.”

“I did.”

“Now I have to do it again,” Chanyeol said, furrowing his brows.

He started getting up but Jongdae put a hand to the centre of his chest. “It can wait until I’m done kissing you.”

Chanyeol pouted but it didn’t last long because Jongdae was busy sucking at his neck and he became otherwise occupied. Just before Jongdae rose to kiss him again, he held Jongdae back for a moment. “Kyungsoo’s going to come looking for us, we should probably be bending when he does.”

“He’s seen us kissing before, he can do it again. This is important,” Jongdae said, matter-of-factly. “Teachers have to reward students who excel,” he added with a wink.

Chanyeol groaned but he smiled, “Well, if you insist. I suppose this star pupil can stand being pampered a little longer.”

“Good, because I have a lot of pampering to catch up on.”

“Then you better start kissing me now. You can make the rest up later.”

Jongdae didn’t need any further prompting before his mouth was on Chanyeol’s, which was how Kyungsoo found them ten minutes later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I go into this expecting to write a novel? Sort of. This fic was actually supposed to be considerably different and possibly longer but deadlines are a thing and this result was a lot closer to the original prompt.
> 
> I hope you liked it if you made it this far (and even if you didn't, congrats?).
> 
> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/daejakyu)

**Author's Note:**

> ** My Twitter [daejakyu](https://twitter.com/daejakyu)  
> ** My [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/dejakyu)


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